A Cross of Blades
by Striking Falcon
Summary: Poor Kagome. At 7, her parents send her to Balamb Garden in hopes of her becoming a SeeD...Too bad Kagome doesn’t want to go. Soon she begins what’s destined to be a lifelong adventure, with plenty of bad tempered guys, perverts and villains to keep
1. Welcome to the Garden

Prologue: Welcome to the Garden

I

Kagome skipped into the room, her smile bright and playful as she hugged a lime green teddy bear. "Look what I have Souta," she chirped as she leaned over the playpen. Her three year old sibling looked up with curious eyes, dark brownish gray smiling into his sister's bright green orbs.

"This is Mr. Bobo," she told him as she handed over the stuffed animal. "He was my favorite toy when I was a baby. I'm seven now, so Daddy said I could give him to you!" She smiled as he gurgled below her and grimaced when he began chewing on the bear's ears.

"Don't do that Souta!" she scolded as she fished the wet piece of fur from Souta's mouth. "Mr. Bobo doesn't want to be eaten! You're supposed to hug him. Look, like this." She hugged the odd colored bear tightly, muttering a slight 'ew' when an ear brushed against her cheek. "See Souta? Mr. Bobo likes to be hugged."

"'ug! 'ug!" he repeated happily. He climbed to his feet unsteadily, braced himself on the sides of the playpen and reached for the bear. Kagome handed it over with a smile, then turned when she heard the front door open. "I'll be right back," she said and giggled when Souta fell backward, landing on his diapered fanny with a rustled flop.

Kagome skipped from the room, her pigtails swaying to and fro as she followed her mother's and father's voice to the living room. "Mommy, Daddy I-"She stopped and returned to the hallway, then peered back inside at the strange lady sitting on the sofa. She was dressed in a black jacket and skirt, with gold and blue designs on the front and sides. The lady's blonde hair was pinned up in the back, with long tendrils framing her face and brushing against her wrists. She held a clipboard, and Kagome could see her coat hanging from the coat rack in the hallway.

She turned when her father began to speak, watching the conversation curiously.

"We're more than honored to have you here Miss..."

"Trepe," the blonde replied with a smile. "Instructor Trepe Mr. Higurashi, and I was more than happy to come. It's not very often we find people from Esthar interested in our Garden."

"What garden?" Kagome whispered to herself as she listened. "I wonder what kind of flowers are there."

"You're quite welcome Instructor," Mr. Higurashi said as Mrs. Higurashi reached for a tea kettle in the center of the coffee table. She offered to serve the blonde lady first, to which she politely declined, before pouring into the two cups on her side and returning the kettle to it's proper place.

"What can you tell us about it?" Mrs. Higurashi asked. "We've never heard much about it, and we were away when you and the other SeeDs were here."

'Seeds from a garden?' Kagome smiled. 'I bet they make pretty flowers.'

Instructor Trepe nodded. "Of course. Let me begin by our location. Balamb Garden is named for the town of Balamb, which is only a couple of miles from the Garden itself. Though the Garden is mobile, and is scheduled to move about during certain parts of the year, we mostly remain stationed in the plains outside the township. There are one hundred and seventy five members on the staff, which include an in-house kitchen staff, instructors like myself, the disciplinary committee and our headmaster."

"What about education?" Mr. Higurashi asked as Mrs. Higurashi took a sip of her tea. "What are the careers available?"

"Oh, there are many to choose from," Instructor Trepe responded with a confidant wave of her hand. "Students can choose any range of fields, including medical, computer sciences, teaching and, of course, our SeeD program."

"Yes," Mr. Higurashi nodded in approval. "That's what we wish for our Kagome. How much would the tuition be?"

'They're talking about me?' Kagome gasped as her parents and the instructor talked on. 'Mommy and Daddy...they're going to send me away? But why?' Kagome slid down the wall numbly, her little hands clasped in her lap as silent tears streaked down her face.

"Well, we do have a program for orphaned children that started after the first Sorceress War," Instructor Trepe replied. "Of course, with your daughter it would have to be different. Tuition is 9000 Gil a year, and it included food, boarding, lessons and any weapons should she choose to train in an appropriate field."

"That's fine. How soon can she start?"

"We start accepting new students in two weeks."

"Alright then." Mr. Higurashi stood and gathered the empty tea cups. "I'm going to get my checkbook. Dear, please fill out the forms."

"Of course." Both women watched as he disappeared into the kitchen before Instructor Trepe passed Mrs. Higurashi her clipboard. "Do you have any questions Mrs. Higurashi?" the instructor asked as Kagome's mother filled out the forms.

"Yes. Exactly how do you get to Balamb Garden?"

"It's quite simple. There is a train in FH that leads to Timber. In Timber, take the train to Balamb. There's always a staff member waiting at the bus station during the first week of registration, so all she'd have to do is get on the right trains to get there. May I ask a question?"

"Of course," Mr. Higurashi responded as he entered the room.

"I don't mean to pry but...why exactly do you want to send your daughter to the Garden? Surely the schools here are adequate, if not more advanced than what we have."

"We believe that Kagome would be better off learning what you have to offer. Here in Esthar, one is expected to either be an engineer or an archaeologist. We think Kagome would be happier somewhere else."

"I see. Alright then." Instructor Trepe assisted the Higurashi's with the forms, accepted the check Mr. Higurashi gave her and allowed them to escort her to the front door. "I thank you both for considering our Garden," she said as she headed out the door. "We'll be expecting Kagome in two weeks."

"Thank you Instructor Trepe," Mr. Higurashi as he and his wife waved goodbye. "Have a safe journey back." They closed the door behind her, a soft sigh escaping them both as they exchanged uneasy looks.

"Do you really think that was the right decision?" she asked as Mr. Higurashi leaned against the door. "Should we really send her away?"

"Now Elle, we've already discussed this," Mr. Higurashi responded before reaching for her and pulling her into his comforting embrace. "This is what we agreed on. Kagome is different than the other children. You yourself worry about the others teasing and being cruel to her."

"But will she understa-"

"Why..."

They looked down, then pulled away from each other as Kagome stared up at them, her hands trembling in front of her as she continued to cry. "Kagome baby, we need to-"

"Why do you want to send me away? Don't you love me anymore?"

"Of course we do honey," Mr. Higurashi said as he kneeled in front of her. He moved to hug her, but

Kagome stepped out of his reach and stared at them. "It's just that you're growing so fast, and you're so much smarter than the other kids at school. We just don't want you to feel left out."

"Besides," her mother said as she too kneeled to Kagome's eye level. "You're going to have so many new friends! It'll be so much fun and we'll bring Souta to visit you whenever we can!"

"But I don't want to go!" Kagome wailed miserably. "I already have friends, and Souta's here! I don't want to go away!"

"Kagome-"

"Please don't send me away!" she cried desperately. "I'll be a good girl, I promise! I'll make good grades-"

"Kagome-"

"I'll be good in school!"

"Kagome-"

"I'll even change Souta's diapers! The number ones and the number twos!"

"**KAGOME!!" **Mr. Higurashi straightened himself up as Kagome looked on, her bottom lip trembling as she tried to keep her tears at bay. "You're mother and I have decided on this. It's final. You're going and that's that!"

"But-"

"No buts young lady!"

"I hate you!" Kagome snapped angrily, her fists balled at her sides. "I never want to talk to you ever again!" Her mother and father stood agape, momentarily stunned as Kagome turned on her heels and ran down the hallway, the door to her room slamming closed seconds later.

"Oh no," Mrs. Higurashi moaned as she started to cry. "What have we done?"

"She'll come to understand," Mr. Higurashi assured her as he blotted her face dry. "We can't protect her forever."

(Space)

Kagome slammed her bedroom door and threw herself onto her bed, her head buried underneath her pillow as she cried brokenly. 'Why?' she asked herself over and over again while she sobbed. "Why do they want to send me away? Don't they love me anymore?'

She cried for hours, her sobs shaking her small body as she curled into a ball. 'Why don't Mommy and Daddy love me anymore? Don't they want me to be here?' She sniffed and wiped her face with the back of her hand, her sobs little more than tiny hiccups as she grasped a little necklace around her neck. It was made of a delicate chain, with a silver star charm shining in her teary eyes. A calm settled over her as she clutched the necklace, the metal warming in her hands as the last of her tears dried to nothing.

'OK,' she thought as she settled down. 'If they don't want me here, then I won't be here.' She crawled off the bed and began packing, the normally dark rim around her irises glowing a brilliant light-green before disappearing.

II

"Now Kagome," Mrs. Higurashi said as the train entered the station. "You make sure to listen to the conductor. He'll help you if you get lost."

"And don't talk to strangers!"

"Remember Kagome; it takes two days to get to Timber, then it you're to get on the train to Balamb. It'll take three days on the train to get there alright?"

"Be good for the instructors!" Mr. Higurashi offered, then sighed as his daughter remained silent. She merely watched as the other passengers boarded the train, a look of cold aloofness shielding once bright happy eyes. "Here Kagome," he began as he reached inside his pocket and opened his wallet. "Here's a couple of gil. It should help until you get to the Garden."

"Kagome, why won't you say something?" her mother pleaded as she grasped Kagome's shoulders. Kagome seemed to look straight through her, her face unchanged as the train whistle pierced the early morning air. She ignored the money in her father's hand, turning from him to her little brother who watched her from his stroller.

"Goodbye Souta," she said with a watery smile. "Don't worry, we'll see each other again. I promise." He babbled insistently, his pudgy hands reaching for something as she kissed his palm. "I'll write to you all the time, and when you're old enough you'll write to me."

"We'll come to see you in a few months," Mr. Higurashi said as Kagome hoisted a black backpack near her feet onto her back. She grasped the handle of her rolling suitcase and began to walk away, only pausing once to show the conductor her ticket before boarding the train and disappearing.

"Something's wrong with her," Mrs. Higurashi whispered as the train whistled again. "We shouldn't let her go."

"But we can't let her stay," Mr. Higurashi said, his head lowered in remorse. "She may hate us now, but Kagome needs this. She has to be able to protect herself."

"But I've held her since the first moment she opened her eyes," Mrs. Higurashi sobbed as the train began to pull away from the station. "It's killing me to see her like this."

Mr. Higurashi draped an arm around her shoulders and held her while she cried, his hand caressing the top of her head as the train disappeared into the horizon. "She'll be alright. We'll see her at the open house. Kagome will be fine, you'll see."

III

Kagome moved through the dining car to the guest cabins, her head down as she kept to herself. Those that noticed her didn't acknowledge her as they made their way through the train's many compartments. She stopped in front of a door, then looked down at her ticket and nodded. She opened the door and peered inside, then walked in and glanced around. Two long seats were on either side of the room, with a large window in the center of the outer wall. There were storage cabinets above both seats and a door that lead to what Kagome guessed was the bathroom.

Kagome sighed and shrugged her backpack off her shoulders. 'Looks like I'll be staying here,' she decided. She picked the seat on the right to sit on and began putting her luggage inside the high cabinet. 'I'm by myself now,' she sniffed as she struggled to get her backpack inside the cabinet. 'I don't need anyone. It's just me...all by myself. I'll take care of me from now on. I don't need anyo-'

"**HI**!"

Kagome jumped instantly, a small cry escaping her mouth when she bumped her head underneath the heavy wood. She turned at the laughter behind her and frowned at the small boy standing by the door.

"Sorry!" He sang out with a wide grin, revealing tiny pointed fangs. Kagome shrugged it off with a sigh and continued to pack as the little boy bounced on the left seat. "Wow, this is so fun! Have you ever been on a train? I have! It's lots of fun! I go all the time."

Kagome watched as he bounced, his red hair and tail flopping wildy. The train lurched unsteadily, the impact causing the little boy to fall from his seat. Kagome caught him quickly and helped him back to his feet. "Hey kid, you should be careful. You're gonna get hurt like that."

"Yeah I know," he said with a sheepish smile. "My mom tells me that all the time. What's your name?"

"Me? I'm Kagome."

"Yeah? I'm Shippou!" He straightened himself up to his full three feet, his fists on his hips and his face set in cute determination. "You'd better stick with me!" he told her. "I can protect you."

Kagome smiled, leaned back and crossed her arms with a wry smile. "How's that little guy?"

"I'm gonna be a SeeD!" he announced proudly. "I turned five last week, so my parents said that I could go to Balamb Garden. Have you seen it?"

"No," Kagome mumbled grumpily. "I don't want to see it."

"Then why are you on the train?" Shippou asked, his tail twitching in his curiosity. "Aren't you going to the Garden?"

Kagome nodded.

"Great! I bet we can be friends! We'll train together, take magic classes together and-"

"Magic?" Kagome interrupted. "There's magic?"

Shippou huffed. "Yeah there's magic! You get to do all kinds of stuff! It's going to be so cool!" He scurried into Kagome's lap, his furry tail flickering wildly while he rattled on. "Have you ever been on a train before Kagome?"

"No," Kagome shook her head. "It's my first time."

"Isn't it cool?" Shippou cheered excitedly. "My daddy is an en-ge-neer, and he works on trains. I get to ride with him sometimes but this is my first time going by myself. Oh!" He suddenly reached inside his pocket, fished out his ticket and shoved it into her hand. "Here, can you hold my ticket? My momma said to give it to someone who'll keep up with it."

"Well..."

"Thanks! Let's go check out the rest of the train!" He jumped up and struggled to get Kagome on her feet, then dragged her out the door and down the hallway. "Come on!" he rushed as they walked past the other passengers. "This is going to be fun! You're so slow Kagome!"

Kagome followed the little boy for the rest of the afternoon, her somber mood brightening by the minute at his hyper insistence. 'Maybe it won't be so bad,'she decided as they stopped at a water fountain. The fountain was too tall for him and he looked from Kagome, to it and back again before attempting to climb the side of it.

"No, not that way," Kagome said. She picked him up and lifted him to the nozzle, her strength waning under the five year old as he drank his fill.

"Ahhh! Thanks Kagome!" he grinned, then grabbed her hand again and ran from the hallway. They stopped when the conductor appeared at the junction to the next car, his face disapproving as he glared at them.

"Just where do you two think you're going?" he asked as Kagome and Shippou struggled to adjust themselves.

"We want to see the en-ge-neer!" Shippou declared, Kagome shook her hand awake. "We want to get inside the driver's car!"

"No way kid," the conductor frowned. "They're busy in there, so you can't go in." He quirked an eye at the two then, and asked, "Say, just what are you two doing together?"

"We share a-"

"I'm her protector!" Shippou interrupted.

"Really?" the conductor chuckled as Kagome rolled her eyes and rested her forehead in the palm of her hand. "Who are you protecting her from?"

"Are you kidding? A pretty girl like her? Shoo, from everybody!"

The conductor outright laughed at this, and at Kagome as he cheeks turned a bright red. "You're protecting your sweetheart huh? I tell you what little man; you and your girlfriend-"

"I'm not his girlfriend!" Kagome quipped.

"-come back after dinner and I'll see what I can do about getting you guys inside. What do you say?"

"Cool!" Shippou cried happily, then turned around, grabbed Kagome's hand yet again and dragged her back the way they came.

'I was wrong,' Kagome thought as they walked past their room. 'This is going to be a nightmare!'

IV

"Here we are Kagome!" Shippou said as they stepped off the train. "This is Timber!"

Kagome grasped his hand and allowed him to lead the way, her attention more on her surroundings than where they were going. Everything was so different from her hometown, with the scents of the surrounding forest around her. The few people they passed flashed friendly smiles her way, and she couldn't help but smile in return. They crossed over the gated bridge at the station house and ran down a set of stairs before stopping in front of a man in the tunnel.

"'Cuse me Mister!" Shippou shouted up to the man. "Which way is Balamb Station?"

The man stared at him in confusion for a second, then gestured to the tunnel behind him. "Go straight down this tunnel, then keep going straight until you pass by an old building with 'Timber Maniacs' on the front. From there hang a left to the pet store. Balamb Station is right at the top of the stairs."

"Thanks Mister!" Shippou scurried down the tunnel, once again dragging Kagome along behind him. The man watched them go, then shook his head and climbed the stairs to the train for Fisherman's Horizon. "Weird kid," he muttered to himself, then dropped it all together and boarded.

"Hey Kagome!" Shippou said as they ran down the walkway. "What time is it?"

Kagome glanced down at her watch, her concentration swaying a moment from the jostling. "It's...four o' clock." She gasped when he skidded to a halt, nearly bowling the little kitsune over before she could stop herself. "Hey," she griped as she dusted herself off. "What's the big idea?"

"I smell food..." He drifted toward a restaurant, his mouth literally watering as the smell of good food made both their stomachs growl. "Come on Kagome," he said as he opened the door. "I'm hungry and the train to Garden doesn't get here for an hour and a half!"

"How do you know that?" Kagome asked as she checked the tickets. Sure enough, the little guy was right, with the Balamb train arriving five thirty. "OK Shippou," she relented as they walked up to the counter. "What are you getting?"

"I want a...." He studied the menu intently, both Kagome and the vendor rolling their eyes at his indecision before he grinned. "I want two shrimp eggrolls, some chicken wings and a cola."

"What about you young lady?" the vendor asked. Kagome thought a second, then said "I want the wonton soup please, with some of the fried bananas and a bottled water."

"OK kids. Hold on." The vendor disappeared behind the counter, leaving Kagome and Shippou to wait patiently. They jumped when the door to the restaurant was flung open, and they watched as a little girl came dancing into the room.

"I'm goin' to the Garden! I'm goin' to the Garden!" She plunked a red duffle bag and suitcase down in a nearby chair and continued dancing, and it wasn't long before Shippou joined in.

"Hey!" he said when the little girl finally stopped. "I'm Shippou and I'm five! I'm going to the Garden too!"

"Hey to you too cutie!" the girl giggled as she swept him up and hugged him. Kagome watched them from afar, deciding to let Shippou do his thing on his own. The little girl finally put him down and rubbed the top of his head. "I'm Sango, and I'm not five! I'm going to the Garden too!"

"Wow...how old are you?"

"I'm seven and a half!"

"Really? My friend Kagome-"He pointed to Kagome, who waved in response. "Is seven too! She's going to the Garden with us!"

"So you're taking the next train right?" Sango asked, her low ponytail flapping along her back. Kagome nodded.

"Great! I was hopin' not to be by myself!"

'Why?' Kagome mused as Sango and Shippou talked over her. 'What's the point? We're going to be alone sooner or later, so why even bother?'

"Hey!"

Kagome blinked, snapping herself out of her previous thoughts. "Yeah?"

"There you are!" Sango said, then pointed to the vendor. "Your order's been up for a while."

"Oh. Thanks." Kagome took her food and sat at one of the tables with Shippou and Sango. She laughed as Shippou woofed down his egg rolls, then panicked when he began to choke on a piece of shrimp. "Breathe kid," she instructed as she and Sango clapped him on the back. "Jeez, who taught you how to eat?"

"My dad has a friend like that," Sango said when Shippou finally recovered. "He's funny, and he's always hangin' around this girl that only says one word at a time."

"Only one?" Shippou repeated as Sango sipped on her soda. "Man, I bet that's weird."

"Hey Kid, you're only five," Kagome said around her soup. "How do you know what weird means?"

"Hey, I'm five in human years!" Shippou retorted. "I'm actually older than the both of you."

"But you're still shorter than us," Sango teased, she and Kagome laughing at his cross expression. "Aw, but don't worry," Sango said as she ruffled his hair. "You can still hang out with us. We don't care about you being a grandpa and all!"

"Cool...hey! That's not funny!" Sango jumped up and ran outside, with Shippou hot on her tail and Kagome lagging behind. She watched as they chased each other along the walkway, then glanced at her watch and gasped.

"Hey you guys!" she called as Shippou attached himself to Sango's head. She screamed like a banshee and tried to pry him off, with him giggling like a psycho as Kagome called to them again.

"HEY GUYS!!!!"

Both turned to her, with Sango lifting Shippou's tail to see better. "Yeah?"

"We've got to go. The train gets here in fifteen minutes!"

"Oh no!" Sango wailed as she dropped Shippou, who landed on his head, and ran back inside the café for her bags. "It'll take at least that long to get there! Come on guys, we've gotta go!!"

"Gee, I just said that," Kagome muttered under her breath. Shippou recovered quickly and ran after Sango, nearly tripping her up on the way out before the both of them ran to catch up with Kagome.

"Kagome!" Shippou wailed as the older girl's ponytail bobbed ahead of them. "Wait up! Who's gonna look after you if I get left behind?"

V

Kagome, Sango and Shippou stood at the gates on the outside of the Garden, each suddenly apprehensive about going in.

"It can't be that bad right?" Sango stuttered nervously, her hands wringing in front of her. "I mean, if it were our parents wouldn't let us go in."

Kagome nodded at her logic, then ventured forth and stepped through the gates. Shippou and Sango followed, only to crash into her back when she suddenly stopped. They both opened their mouths to yell at her but forgot what to yell about when they looked ahead of them.

The common area was huge, and truly looked like a garden. Cobblestone pathways wove between the lush plant life, the trees overhead more magnificent than anything Kagome'd ever seen. "Wow," she breathed as she stepped toward one. "I've never seen one this big."

"They grow like that in Timber," Sango boasted, though she too was just as thunderstruck. "But I think it's pretty big too."

"Excuse me?"

The group looked away from the tree to another child standing in front of them. He was dressed in a blue uniform, his jacket unzipped enough to see the white t-shirt underneath. He smiled warmly at them, his inky blue eyes just as curious as the rest of him. "Are you guys alright?"

"Yeah," Shippou huffed with a casual flick of his wrist. "Why wouldn't we be?"

"Um...because you're looking at a tree like you've never seen one before?"

"There aren't a lot of them where I come from," Kagome said as she glanced at him. He looked awed by her statement, his jaw going slack momentarily before resuming his natural charm.

"Just where are you from?" he asked, and before Kagome could take a breath Shippou cried out, "Kagome's from Esthar! We rode the train together from Fisherman's Horizon!"

The boy blinked in shock and glanced at a sheet of paper in his hands. "You're Kagome Higurashi right?"

Kagome nodded.

"And you, you're the kitsune from FH! Shippou...Makayura, right?"

"That's what my mama calls me!" Shippou announced grandly, which earned giggles from the females in his company. The boy quirked a brow, but let Shippou slide as he turned to Sango. "And who are you?

"I'm Sango Almasy, from Timber."

"Great! I've been looking for you guys. Follow me." Kagome, Shippou and Sango exchanged glances, then shrugged and followed after the little boy as he led them up the pathway to the inner gateway.

"My name's Miroku Saikai, and I'm your mentor."

"What's a mentor?" Shippou asked, his hand once again wrapped around Kagome's as they were led about the Garden.

"A mentor is someone you look up to and ask for advice," Miroku explained. "I'm your mentor because I'm the oldest, I've been here the longest, and we're all in the same dorm pod together."

"Yeah right," Shippou rolled his eyes. "You don't look that old."

"I'll have you know that I'm eight years old," Miroku corrected. "I've been here for three years."

Shippou rolled his eyes again. "Whoop-de-friggin'-do."

They stopped in front of a directory in the center of the pathway, with walkways branching to the left, right and straight up a flight of stairs to an elevator. Miroku moved aside so the others could see, then began explaining.

"Since you guys are new to Garden, you're gonna have to learn the rules," he said as he glanced over his sheet of paper. "Like I'm sure you already know, this is a mobile Garden, meaning that it can move. There are four floors to the Garden; the first floor, which is where we're standing now, the second floor, which is right above us, B1 floor, which is right below us, and the third floor is the headmaster's office but you can't go to it or the B1 floor without permission.

"This is the first floor directory," he said as he gestured to the large computer behind him. "If you get lost, just come here and follow the directions on the screen. There are seven areas to the first floor: the library, training center, parking lot, dormitory, quad, infirmary and cafeteria. The manuals in your dorm rooms go into each area further, but I will say that the only areas open at night are the training center and the dorms. Any questions?"

"What's the training room for?" Shippou asked.

"It's for people who want to level up in strength, but don't want to go outside the Garden to do it. You have to be careful in the training center though, because they're real monsters in there." Miroku waited for more questions, then forged ahead when they remained silent. "The second floor is all classrooms. There's a directory map in the elevator hallway that has all the room numbers, plus the instructors assigned to that room. Homeroom's at nine o' clock am, and you only get four chances per semester to be late."

"What's the cafeteria schedule?" Sango offered quickly.

"It's open from seven to eight thirty, eleven to one thirty, and six to eight thirty again. Your first semester schedules are inside your manuals in your dorms. Um..." Miroku stopped to look the paper over, flipping it over once before shrugging and tossing it aside. "That's it I guess. Welcome to the Garde-"

"Give it back you bastard!"

They turned toward the commotion, each student surprised that a crowd had formed behind Kagome and the others. "What's going on?" she asked Miroku as shouting came from the other side of the crowd.

"I don't know, but I hope it's not what I think it is..." He pushed his way to the front of the crowd, with Kagome and Sango following behind him. Shippou had long since given up walking, deciding that Kagome's shoulder was more comfortable than tiring out his feet. They stopped once they reached the front, with Miroku walking toward two boys.

To Kagome and Sango, they looked like twins, with the same silver hair and golden eyes. The only difference was that the smaller one had little doggie ears on top of his head, something that both girls instantly found to be cute.

"Don't you just want to touch them?" Sango sighed, her fingers itching to rub one of the furry little triangles. Shippou gave an all-knowing shake of his head and turned back to Miroku as he attempted to step between the two.

"Hey you two!" he shouted as the smaller boy tried to push him aside. "How many fights do you have to get into in a week? Don't you guys get tired?"

"He took something of mine!" the smaller boy accused, his finger pointed at his taller duplicate. "Give it back Sesshoumaru!"

"I don't know what you're talking about halfbreed," the taller boy, Sesshoumaru, said as he began to walk away. "I don't want anything of yours."

"Yes you do! You know Daddy gave it to me, so give it back!"

"What does he have Inuyasha?" Miroku asked as the crowd began to mummer around them.

"He knows," Inuyasha growled angrily, then snapped up, charged past Miroku and socked Sesshoumaru in the face. "Give it back! I know you have it!"

Both boys fell to the floor and the fight was on, with some of the students cheering for their favorite brother as Miroku tried to separate them. "You guys stop!" he yelled, then winced when a stray punch landed in his stomach.

"What I don't understand is," a girl beside Kagome said as Sesshoumaru rolled Inuyasha off of him and returned his blows in abundance.

"Why they would transfer those two to the same Garden with their history?"

"What was that?" Shippou asked as he, Kagome and Sango turned to her. "What are you talking about?"

"That's Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha Endo," the girl said as she pointed to the two combatants. "The eldest is Sesshoumaru, and he's been at Galbandia Garden for four years, and his brother's been at Trabia Garden for three. They've been split up for so long, so why put them under the same Garden if they don't get along?"

"That's it," they heard Sesshoumaru growl before kicking his younger brother in the side. "I said I don't have it! I won't say it again!"

"Give it back Sesshoumaru!" Inuyasha snapped as he grabbed Sesshoumaru's foot and jerked it from underneath him. "It's not my fault Father didn't give you one."

"Why you little-"Both were jerked from the floor without another word, pulled away from each other and into the arms of two security. The crowd dispersed soon after, leaving Miroku sitting in the middle of a bunch of strewn papers and books.

Kagome, Shippou and Sango helped him pick up the materials, separated them into two equal stacks and followed the security officers to the infirmary where one of the doctors checked on the smaller boy.

"Here's your books Inuyasha," Miroku said as he handed over a mussed stack of papers and books. Inuyasha thanked him and set his books beside him. Kagome stood by for a few minutes, then remembered that she held the other brother's belongings.

"Excuse me," she said to the doctor. "Where's the other one?"

"He's that way dear," the doctor said as she pointed to a closed off area of the infirmary. "Just go right in." Kagome nodded in thanks and followed the doctor's instruction. She slid aside the curtain and walked inside, where Sesshoumaru sat on the cot ahead.

"Um...excuse me?"

Kagome jumped when he looked at her, his eyes golden pools of fury smoldering in their own fire.

"Yes?"

"Um...You left your books in the commons and well, here they are." Kagome set them on the bed beside him and was ready to quit the room when he called to her.

"I've never seen you before. Are you new?"

"Yeah," Kagome nodded. "This is my first day."

His head tipped to the side and Kagome couldn't help but watch the silvery strands shift over his shoulder like woven strands of moonlight. "I see. How old are you?"

"I'm seven."

"Oh." He turned away from her, his nose upturned as he yawned in boredom. "I see. You're still a baby. I don't have time for babies."

Kagome fumed instantly, her normally calm placid scattering to the seven winds. "I was just trying to be nice!" she yelled at his back. "You don't have to be mean about it."

"You don't know who I am, do you?" he snarled back at her. Kagome grinned innocently, what should have been a clear sign of trouble had he known better.

"I think I do."

"Good." He turned back around, throughly satisfied until

"You're a royal dick. Later Sesshoumaru."

He whipped around just as she disappeared from the room, the only sound left from her passing was Shippou's

"Kagome, what's a dick?"

(End Chapter)

This story's reference is the game, but everything about Inuyasha will be spliced and merged to suit my needs. I may as warn you now, there isn't a single trace of the Tetsusaiga, the Tenseiga or Toukijin. Just thought I'd tell you before we went any further. For the first couple of chapters, I want to focus on them as kids, but it won't last but this chapter and maybe two others. Anyway, let me know how you guys like it and whether or not I should continue. Oh, but here's the preview for the next chapter.

Kagome: Can you believe it? I just had to get stuck in the same class as that jerk! I can't believe it! I must have pissed off a fate or something, because this just isn't right. It's a good thing Sango's here. What?! What do you mean you're not taking magic this period?! But that leaves me with-


	2. Magic 101

Disclaimer: Nope, I don't own it or the Final Fantasy dynasty. I wish I did though. I'd be sittin' pretty right about now, fanfiction or no.

Chapter One: Magic 101

I

_Dear Souta,_

_Thanks so much for the book you sent me. I keep it by my bedside so I can watch it after classes are over and Sango's asleep in the next room. I know Mom and Dad helped you since you're only five, but I still love anything you give me._

_It's actually not so bad here. It took some getting used to but I'm kinda glad Mom and Dad sent me away. Yesterday, Instructor Trepe got some of the others together and gave me a birthday party with a cake, candles and everything. It was lots of fun. Shippou (the kitsune I wrote you about earlier) and Sango still try to be my friend, and I don't think they bother me as much as they used to. _

_You should have seen Shippou dive head first into the cake. Candles went everywhere, and frosting is still stuck to the cafeteria walls. _

_Oh ew. There's frosting on the keyboard now. Sucks. How did it end up in my hair anyway? Sorry Souta. Anyway, Instructor Trepe said that I get to start training for magic now that I'm nine. I get to learn about spells, charms and all kinds of great stuff! I'm so excited! My first magic class is tomorrow. It's the last class of my day but I can't wait to get to it! It's going to be so much fun. Sango's already in Magic 101 and she says its lots of fun. The instructor is supposed to be nice too. I'll have to ask her more at lunch tomorrow._

_OK baby bro, I gotta go. Its really late (practically 10:30) and the homeroom bell rings in the morning at 9. Breakfast starts at 7, and the french toast is always the first thing to go. _

_Don't forget that I love you._

_Kagome_

II

Kagome walked down the hallway to her last class, her grammer book tightly clasped to her chest and her head down while she avoided the other students around her. She was dressed similar to them in a white t shirt, cobalt blue short jacket and a pleated skirt with gray detailing, the garden's girl's issue uniform. Kagome unzipped her jacket and sighed, her fingers coming up to play with the star necklace that hung from her neck.

'Magic 101. This is the last class,' Kagome said to herself as she looked up at the sign on the door. She walked into the classroom quietly and sat down at the first of seven tables, this one nearest to the door. She sat her bookbag on the floor beside her chair, plunked her grammar book into it and relaxed as the other students walked into class. Kagome found that she didn't know a lot of the students and it didn't surprise her. 'I keep to myself,' she thought as the other tables began filling up. 'Besides, I don't want to know anyone here anyway. It's not like we're here to be friends or anything.'

She sighed heavily, her hand once again coming to her necklace as the bell rang and the last student walked into class. Kagome found herself alone at the table, the other students spread about the six remaining tables as the instructor entered the room and stood behind her desk at the front of the class. The instructor was dressed in a SeeD uniform; a gray jacket and skirt set with blue and yellow designs on the collar. She smiled at the class, her sage green eyes twinkling brightly from underneath her bangs. She wore her hair in a mousy brown flip that bounced when she turned around and began writing on the chalkboard.

"Good afternoon class," she chirped happily. The class (except for Kagome) responded in kind, with Kagome pretending to gag before the instructor turned around. "My name is Selphie Kinneas, but you guys can call me Instructor K.

"For anyone who doesn't know, this is Magic 101, or Introduction to Magic. This class is for anyone interested in being a SeeD, or those who just happen to want to learn how to use and treat injuries caused by magic attacks. Before we go into the lesson criteria, I ask that you all stand up." Kagome and the rest of the class did as she asked, the screeching sound of metal chairs sliding along hard tile causing her to wince slightly.

"Now, if the girls will move to the left hand side of the room and the boys move to the right, I can get to work on assigning seats."

"Awww..." the classroom groaned as they moved to the separate walls. Kagome stayed as far away from the other girls as possible, her head down and her hands wrapped around the straps of her backpack as Instructor Kinneas began to seat the other students. Soon all but one table was filled with three students per table.

"Kagome Higurashi, table seven please."

Kagome sat down in the middle of the table, leaving the ends empty as the last two students were called.

"Inuyasha Endo and Miroku Saikai, table seven as well."

Inuyasha moved the right end of the table, draped his jacket over the back of the hard plastic chair and sat down with a huff. Miroku sat on the opposite end and flashed Kagome a friendly smile before turning to the instructor.

"Alright class, these are your assigned seats," Instructor Kinneas said with a wide smile. "This is where you're to sit for the remainder of the semester. The people at your table are your lab partners, essay partners and most of all, they're your support should things go wrong. Magic isn't something to play with, so always have your lab partners with you at all times."

"Jeez," Inuyasha muttered as Instructor Kinneas began writing on the chalkboard. "It's like we're in kindergarten or something."

"Please take out your pencils," she said as she continued to write. The classroom erupted in soft murmurings as the students quickly retrieved their materials from their backpacks. Miroku leaned over to open his bookbag but stopped when something slapped down on the table in front of him. He sat up and stared at the pencil and the yellow sheet of paper. He moved to thank Kagome but she never looked at him, her eyes glued ahead as she furiously jotted down the words on the board.

"Like I said earlier, this is Introduction to Magic or Magic 101. In this class you'll learn the basic functions of Guardian Forces, or GFs, how to use magic and more importantly _when_ to use magic."

Instructor Kinneas drew a table of sorts on the board, stepped back to study it, then nodded and turned to the class behind her. "The one main rule of magic is that no matter what the level **_all_** magic is dangerous. Spells that seem harmless and fun will turn on you in a second and blow to smithereens!" She stopped at the collective gasp and cleared her throat, her cheeks turning a slight pink before resuming the lesson.

"There are nine levels of magic that you should be familiar with. They're Life, Fire, Water or Ice magic, Thunder, Time or Space magic, Support, Status, Other and Forbidden magic. Forbidden magic has been banned from all three Gardens for student use, so to be caught with it is to be immediately expelled. So don't use it!"

Kagome blinked at her sudden exclamation while Instructor Kinneas returned to the blackboard, the instructor's sanity in question as she began jotting on the board.

"Of these nine levels of magic, there are four strength levels, or spell levels. Level one contains spells like Fire, Blizzard, Thunder and Cure. Their strength increases from there to level four, where the most powerful of magic is. For this semester, you'll begin with level one spells that are less dangerous, such as Scan, Esuna, Cure and Sleep."

"What's Esuna?" a girl in the back of the class asked.

"I'm glad you caught that," Instructor Kinneas smiled. "Esuna is like an antidote, except it cures almost anything. We won't worry about that today however." She glanced up at the clock and frowned. "Oh dear. It's almost time for the last bell. Well, I guess I should give you your homework assignments."

"Awww..." the class moaned as Instructor Kinneas returned to the chalkboard yet again.

"Yes I know it's the weekend but you still have homework. I'm sure you have a lot from your other classes, so I'm going to make this easy." She wrote down a few more words then plunked down the chalk. "Your assignment is titled 'Getting to Know You'."

"Oh no way man," Inuyasha growled irritably. "It IS like we're in kindergarten."

"You're to do a paragraph about someone in your group. It doesn't matter who, just be prepared to read it in front of the class Monday. Make sure you find out about their likes, dislikes and why they want to take this class." The bell rang, effectively ending the class. Kagome stood and left without a word leaving Inuyasha and Miroku to stare after her in confusion.

"You know what?" Inuyasha began, then growled when one of the older kids flicked his ears. "I think I know her."

"You do," Miroku said as they ambled through the crowd to the elevators. "You met her and a couple of her friends her first day here. You and Sesshoumaru were fighting again."

"Oh yeah," Inuyasha remembered. "One of us punched you that day, right?"

"Yeah, you would remember that," Miroku muttered with a roll of his violet eyes. "Come on man, hurry up before the elevator leaves us!"

"Feh! I don't have to hurry! I'm faster than any human here!"

"If that's true," Miroku huffed before grabbing Inuyasha by the ear and dragging him through the crowd. "Then why do we always end up the last people on the floor?" They hurried into the elevator and waved back at the poor smucks on the other side before the doors closed. "Her friends are nice," Miroku said once the doors opened, resuming the conversation as he and Inuyasha walked around the common area to the dorm wing. "But Kagome herself is quiet. I don't think I've heard her say more than 'Hi' the whole time she's been here."

"Maybe she's stuck up," Inuyasha guessed as he rubbed his abused ear.

"Nah, I don't think so. She might just be shy. Her friend Sango says she's really nice. I think we should find her at dinner and get our report started."

"Whatever," Inuyasha grumbled as they followed the blue stripe on the hard tile to their dorms. "I don't care what we do, just so long as we get to dinner on time. I hate it when we run out the good stuff."

III

Shippou ducked the flying french fry as it sailed toward him, then stuck his tongue out at Sango and hid behind Kagome's hair as she glowered at him. "Come out from there you little coward!" Sango vented, another fry ready to launch. Kagome sighed to herself and closed her social studies book, deeming her surroundings to loud to work in as she plucked Shippou from her hair.

"What did you do this time?" she asked as the kit pouted in her arms.

"I didn't do anything I swear!" Shippou denied. "All I did was ask why Sango blushed so much when that Miroku kid was around."

Kagome looked up and Sango turned red, confirming the kit's observations. She laughed and shook her head, then sat Shippou down in the chair beside her before poking at the meat loaf on her tray. "Ew," she muttered. "So disgusting."

"You wouldn't have to eat that if you came on," Sango smirked as she twirled a fry in some ketchup and popped it in her mouth. "The pizza and the hot dogs are much better than that crap anyway."

"Yeah, I know," Kagome said with a sigh, then shoved her tray to the side and fished inside her pocket for some spare change. "Man, this sucks. I forgot my wallet in our room."

"Don't sweat it," Sango said as she passed Kagome a couple of Gil. "I couldn't stand the idea of my best friend eating that icky stuff."

"Hey!" Shippou thundered while Kagome paled slightly unnoticed. "I thought I was your best friend!"

"You both are!" Sango grinned with a tug at her ponytail. "But Kagome's the same age as I am! That practically makes us sisters, right Kagome?"

"Um...yeah," Kagome nodded hesitantly. "That's right Sango. Whatever you say."

"Exactly!" Sango grinned. "And that's why I want you to come home with me for Christmas break!"

"What? Er...I don't think so," Kagome shook her head. "I don't think my parents would like that."

"Why not?" Sango whined, her bottom lip quivering slightly. "I know you stay here during the breaks! I don't know why you do, but you can't like it here with just the skeleton crew! Come home with me for Christmas!"

"I don't know Sango..."

"Oh come on!" Sango huffed. "It's not like I'm going to kidnap you or something! I've already asked my parents and they say it's fine! They've already said yeah! You can come for this one time-"

"Sango."

"We'll explore Timber, you can check out my dad's gunblade moves-"

"Sango."

"We can do whatever you want, just say-"

"SANGO!"

"Oh." Sango blinked, then gave Kagome a quizzical stare. "What?"

"Here." Kagome reached inside her backpack and tossed Sango what looked like a black circular compact. "Just open it and press six."

"Huh? Why?" Sango asked before opening the compact. Instead of finding two mirrors, she found a keypad and a tiny LCD screen. "What's this Kagome?"

"It's how I call home," Kagome answered. "It'll reach anywhere in the world, but six gets my parents."

"Does this mean you'll go?" Sango asked while Kagome swiped one of Shippou's fries.

"Hey!"

"Yup, I guess I'll go."

"Ya-"

"Excuse us?"

The three table members looked up and at Inuyasha and Miroku, who stood behind Kagome with notebook paper and pencils in hand. "Hey, you're Higurashi right?" Inuyasha asked as Miroku sat down beside Sango. "You sit with us in magic class?"

"Yeah, that's me. You guys sit with me too."

"Yeah, that's Miroku-"Miroku waved, then shook hands with Sango and Shippou. "And I'm Inuyasha. Can we sit down?"

"Sure," Kagome said as she gestured to the empty seat on her right side. "It's a free world."

"Thanks." Inuyasha flipped the chair around so the back leaned against the table and straddled the seat before plunking his writing utensils down and staring at her.

"What?" Kagome mumbled around a mouthful of food.

"Did you forget about our Monday assignment?" Miroku asked as he too sat down his paper. "We're supposed to write paragraphs about each other."

"You guys got Instructor Kinneas don't you?" Shippou asked before lightly swatting Kagome's hand away from his tray. "Sango and I got her for third block. We've got to do the same thing."

"Have you decided on who's doing what?" Kagome asked as she wiped her hands on a napkin, dropped her social studies book in her backpack and turned to the others.

"Yeah," Inuyasha nodded, his furry ears swivelled toward her. "I think Miroku should do his paper on me, and I should do mine on hi-"

"Why don't we write two paragraphs?" Miroku suggested diplomatically. "If each person writes about the other two then no one will be left out."

"OK then," Inuyasha nodded. "How 'bout you go first?"

"Alright. What do you want to know?"

"Where's your family from and do you have any sisters or brothers?" Kagome asked before Inuyasha could say anything. She nodded to Sango and Shippou when they left the table, promising to catch up with them when she finished.

"I have a mother and father back in Winhill-"

"Winhill!" Inuyasha snorted. "Are you serious? I always knew you were a hick Miroku! Yow!" He grimaced and rubbed his hurting shin. "What'd you do that for you jerk?" Inuyasha retorted as Miroku merely rolled his eyes. "I don't have any siblings Kagome," he answered instead. "But thanks for asking."

"Feh, whatever," Inuyasha snorted. "What about bein' a SeeD?"

"Well, I want to be one, but I'm not sure what I want to do," Miroku answered with a faint blush of embarrassment. "I don't know if I want to be a medic or what."

"What about a weapon?" Inuyasha asked. "You've got to know what weapon you want."

"Actually, I don't," Miroku shrugged. "I guess I haven't thought about it."

"Gah!" Inuyasha exclaimed as he threw his hands up in exasperation. "How could you NOT know what weapon you want!"

"Well we all can't want to be gunblade specialists!" Miroku retorted with an angry spark to his violet eyes. "So get off my back!"

"Miroku?"

"Yeah-I mean, yes Kagome," Miroku corrected himself as he calmed down.

"What's your favorite color?"

"Isn't that **_just like a girl_**?!" Inuyasha frowned as he crossed his arms over the back of the chair and rolled his eyes. "We're talking about important stuff and she wants to know what _color_ you like? Who gives a good got damn-"

"Purple," Miroku interrupted. "My favorite color is purple but not that light, lavender stuff. Mine is that deep, almost black purple that looks like something sick died in it."

"Oh _ew_," Kagome grimaced as she turned away with a frown. "That's so gross. What's your favorite food?"

"Hot dogs," he and Inuyasha said, then grinned and hi fived across the table. "Yeah!"

"Idiots," Kagome mumbled with a shake of her head. "Favorite book?"

"The Occult Fan series," Miroku answered with a grin. "I love that spooky, supernatural stuff."

"OK, that's the priss down," Inuyasha interrupted before Kagome could ask anything else. "My pop's in Deling City, I'm going to be in the mercenary category, I want to get the gunblade, my favorite color's red-"

"You like red?!" Miroku cut him off before he could say anything else. "And you picked at me?! You're such a girl!"

"Hey, **I'M A GIRL**!!!" Kagome shouted as the two continued bickering. They stopped and stared at her as she fumed, her turquoise eyes narrowed slightly as she glared at them. "Well? Can we go on?"

"Whatever," Inuyasha said as he flicked an imaginary piece of lint off his shoulders. "Anyway, fave book is the Combat Kings series. You already know my favorite food."

"What about you Kagome?" Miroku asked as Inuyasha yawned in boredom. "What's the story with you?"

"I'm like Miroku on the SeeD thing," Kagome admitted before they started scribbling. "I don't know what weapon I want, but I do want to become a hostage negotiator. My favorite color's blue-"

"I can respect that," Inuyasha said with a nod of approval, an ear twitching toward the right when a student dropped his tray. "What else?"

"Um...my favorite book is one called Heartlight. It's a book my brother sent me for my birthday."

"So you only have one brother?" Miroku asked before Kagome nodded. "And he's in Esthar too right?"

"You're from Esthar?" Inuyasha interrupted yet again.

Kagome nodded. "Yeah, I'm from the west side of Esthar city."

"Holy-fricking-cow!" he ranted with a wide fanged smile. "You're from Esthar? Seriously?"

"Yeah," Kagome said again. "If you don't believe me ask Miroku. He's my mentor."

"Man, I can't believe this!" Inuyasha said as he grinned at her. "Do you know the chances of meeting someone from Esthar? It's like zero to none man and here you are! I _know_ you've got some of the stuff with you!"

"What stuff?" Kagome asked and glanced to Miroku for some help. Miroku merely shrugged.

"You know what I'm talking about," Inuyasha growled. "The technology! The stuff! Gods, we must look like bumpkins to you!"

"No, not really," Kagome said as she jerked her pack to her lap and dug around inside. "I actually like it here. The air isn't as artifical-smelling as it is there, and there are so many trees."

"Trees?" Inuyasha repeated as Kagome continued looking. "What about trees?"

"Before Kagome came here, she'd never seen a tree," Miroku answered. Inuyasha's mouth dropped open in shock as he turned to her, his disbelief evident on his face as Kagome nodded.

"I'd seen them in picture books but not just standing outside like they do here," she told him before shaking her head at something and moving on. "Trees don't grow in Esthar, but they do in the mountains surrounding the city. I've never been there either. Here it is!" She pulled free what looked like a diskman and set it on the table.

"This is my IBook," she grinned as Inuyasha and Miroku stared at it. It was silver and made of plastic in a complete circle. A little blue crystal was embedded on top and a tiny light inside blinked red. "In Esthar, we don't have the paper books like here. There, we put a cd in this and an image comes up that illustrates the book. We can have the words appear with the illustration too."

"It's kinda like a projection isn't it?" Miroku asked as Inuyasha tapped a clawed finger against the crystal.

"Yup that's pretty much what it is. Anyway, I would have let you guys look at my com-phone, but Sango has it."

"Awww," Inuyasha and Miroku grumbled, then attempted to grab the IBook at once. "Hey!" Inuyasha yelled as he tried to pull it out of Miroku's hands. "Gimme that! I need it for when I do my report on Kagome!"

"I'm doing my report on Kagome," Miroku retorted with a frown. "So _I_ need it for my report!"

Kagome sighed to herself as they began to argue, her elbow resting on the table and her head resting in her hands as she shook her head. 'There's no telling how long this will take,' she thought before throwing her tray away and glaring at the two. 'They can't break it so I'm not going to worry about it. I may as well go get some chips or something."

IV

"Very good Donovan," Instructor Kinneas said Monday morning before one of her students finished his report and returned to his seat. "That was well done. Inuyasha, you and your table are next."

Inuyasha grumbled slightly, shot Miroku a scathing glare and walked to the front of the class with a sheet of paper, his uniform jacket once again hanging from the back of his chair. He cleared his throat, his ears flattened to his skull in nervousness as he started his report.

"My report is on my table partner Miroku Saikai," he said, then growled in Miroku's direction before continuing. "Miroku is eleven human years old, just like me. He wants to be a SeeD but he doesn't know what weapon his wants or what field he wants to be in. He's from Winhill, his favorite color is purple, his favorite food is hot dogs, and his favorite books are the Occult Fan magazines. That's all." He sat back down in a huff, his arms folded over his chest as he pouted in Miroku's direction.

"Well," Instructor Kinneas began as she frowned in confusion. "That was...short Inuyasha. Kagome, you're next."

Kagome stood up with a little more grace and took her place at the front of the class, her hands tugging the helm of her shorts down as she read her paragraph. "My report is on Inuyasha Endo. Inuyasha is part inu youkai and he wants to be a gunblade specialist-"

"Damned right," she heard Inuyasha mutter.

"He has 13 year old half brother that's already training on a gunblade. They're both from Deling City where their father is. His favorite color is red, his favorite food is hot dogs and his favorite books are the Combat Kings magazines, especially the My Final Heaven issue. That's my report." Kagome moved to sit down when she remembered something. "Oh! And if you rub his ears, he purrs."

The classroom broke into rambunctious laughter and Inuyasha glared at her as she sat down, a faint pink tinge staining his cheeks. "I do not purr," he defended himself as Instructor Kinneas motioned for the class to quiet down.

"Alright, that's enough," she said as the class settled down. "Thank you Kagome for your report. It was...informative."

"Embarrassing is what it was," Inuyasha snorted and the class erupted once again. Inuyasha blushed and gave her a light push, one Kagome quickly returned as Instructor Kinneas regained control of the class. "OK Miroku," she said as she motioned Miroku to the front of the class. "Give your report."

"OK Instructor Kinneas. My report is on Kagome Higurashi. She turned nine two weeks ago and she's been at the Garden for two years. Kagome wants to be a SeeD, but she doesn't know what weapon she wants to have either. She does want to be a negotiator, whatever that is. Her favorite color is blue and her favorite food is french toast. Oh, and Kagome's from Esthar and she let me borrow something for my presentation."

The class whispered around him as Miroku set the IBook on the instructor's desk, put one of Kagome's cd's inside and stepped out of the way. "This is what Kagome said was an IBook. She said that in Esthar, they don't have class they way we do. Instead of leaving home and going to a schoolhouse, the elementary school kids plug their IBooks into a base in their rooms at a certain time and their instructor's image comes out of the IBook like this." He pressed a small red button on the side of the IBook and watched as a holographic version of himself hovered above the blue crystal in the center of the device.

"This is how their instructors teach," Miroku explained as the class ooohed and ahhhed. "But instead of me standing there, the instructor would go on with the lesson plan. The only time the class gets together is for field trips and special assignments." He turned off the IBook and returned it to Kagome much to the class's disappointment. "But that's not the great thing about Kagome," he said, regaining everyone's attention as Kagome and Inuyasha watched him.

"The great thing about her is her eyes. If you ever get a chance to, you should see them. They're this really cool aquamarine and they're really pretty."

Kagome blushed instantly, ignoring Inuyasha as he guffawed beside her and Miroku returned to his seat. Her eyes lowered to the table when he winked at her, her blush quickly darkening as Instructor Kinneas stood up and smiled. "That was an interesting way to end a report. Thank you Miroku."

"Anytime Instructor Kinneas," Miroku replied with a polite wave.

"Now on with the lesson, shall we?" Instructor Kinneas said as she turned to the blackboard and rolled up the projection screen. "Today's lesson is on Scan. Scan is used to find out more about your enemy or ally than what you can see on theo outside. It's useful for extremely powerful monsters because it helps to find the monster's weakness, resulting in less fighting time. There are baskets in the middle of your tables with cards. Please pass them out three at a time please."

Kagome reached the basket before the others and passed out the cards, giving both Inuyasha and Miroku three cards each before grabbing the remaining three for herself.

"Now the first thing you should learn about magic is that, to collect and use magic full time, you have to have a Guardian Force junctioned. Since none of you have a GF, you'll just have to have these temporary Scan cards. What you'll do is use them on each other. You should think about gestures that will help you summon your magic while you're at it."

"What are gestures for?" a girl at the back of the class asked. Instructor Kinneas quickly began writing on the chalkboard, apparently having found the question important enough to write the answer down for the rest of the class.

"Gestures in magic help you get used to using it," she explained. "So long as it's a gesture you don't use everyday, like crossing your eyes or something, it'll help you get a better grasp on the part of your mind that stores and regulates magic use. Now, take your Scan cards, stand up, and decide who'll go first."

"I'll go," Miroku said as He, Kagome and Inuyasha stood up. "I don't care who Scans me."

"I'll do it," Inuyasha told him. "I hope it hurts too."

"That's so mean Inuyasha," Kagome shook her head before gathering her cards in her hand and turning back to the instructor.

"OK, this is important," Instructor Kinneas told the class while she supervised. "Take your Scan cards and put them on someone's forehead. When it disappears, a chart should appear in front of them that tells you about them. Hold on to whoever's watching when you do it so that they'll be able to see it too. OK class, you ready?" She grinned at the mummers of agreement. "OK, go!"

"OW INUYASHA!!!" Miroku yipped when Inuyasha smacked him in the forehead with his Scan card. "That hurt you know!"

"That's the plan," Inuyasha smirked before grasping Kagome's arm. They watched as the card vanished, the air around Miroku's head sparkling a moment before a small chart appeared in front of him. "You see that Kagome?" he asked. Kagome nodded. "Yup. I see it. It says that he's a Garden student, and human male with a weakness for Poison."

"Yeah, that's what I figured," Inuyasha said as the chart disappeared. "Who's turn?"

"How about you Inuyasha?" Kagome said as she fiddled with one of her cards. "I want to do one."

"Ok then," he said before bending over so she could reach him better. "I don't want Miroku doing it anyway. He might try to get me back for earlier."

"Don't worry about that," Miroku assured him as Kagome placed her Scan card on Inuyasha's forehead. "I'll get you back another way."

"OK Miroku," Kagome said as she grasped the end of his shirt. "Here we go." They waited for the chart to appear, then read it aloud. "Garden student, Male inu hanyou, Wind based, Thunder has no effect. What does that mean Inuyasha?" Kagome asked as the chart disappeared.

"Feh. It means I'm one of the few youkai that can fly for one. Ok, I can't exactly fly but I can run on the wind currents for a short period of time," Inuyasha said as he wiped at his forehead. "And that Thunder attacks don't effect me because I use thunder attacks. You're turn Kagome."

"I'll do hers this time," Miroku said as he pressed his card to her forehead. He grabbed Inuyasha's ear while the card disappeared and nearly dropped it when the chart that appeared came up blank.

"You can't do anything right ya priss!" Inuyasha grumbled while the chart disappeared. "How could you screw up something so simple as a Scan?"

"I did what I was supposed to do," Miroku said as Inuyasha pressed his Scan card to Kagome's head and stepped back. He grabbed Miroku's ear and gave it a sharp tug, unintentionally piercing his earlobe when Kagome's chart again came up blank. "What the hell...hey, why don't you show up?"

"I...I don't know," Kagome replied as Instructor Kinneas appeared behind Inuyasha.

"What's the problem kids?" she asked as she placed a hand on Inuyasha's shoulder. He bristled like a startled cat and whirled around, his claws extended before noticing the instructor's scent. He calmed down and sheepishly scratched the back of his head.. "Er, sorry Instructor."

"That's ok Inuyasha," Instructor Kinneas replied with an understanding smile. "I've been around youkai to know that you don't sneak up on them. Are you guys having a problem?"

"Yes Instructor," Miroku nodded. "We're having trouble Scanning Kagome."

"Really? Well let me try. OK boys, hold on to me. Are you ready Kagome?"

"Yes," Kagome replied. Instructor Kinneas touched Kagome's forehead and waited, then watched as Kagome's chart once again read blank.

"That's odd," the instructor whispered to herself when she tried again and the same thing happened. "I don't understand it myself boys. Maybe I should call one of the other instructors."

Kagome glanced around nervously as the other students began to stare, her fingers instantly seeking the little star charm around her neck for comfort. 'Oh please,' she said to herself as her classmates began whispering around her. 'I don't want to be different. I don't want to made to leave again, just when I'm happy.' A tear slipped down her cheek unnoticed by all but Miroku, who stood beside her and draped his arm around her shoulders.

"Don't cry Kagome," he said as he wiped the tear away. Inuyasha turned around at this and frowned when another escaped her attention.

"Don't do that," he growled softly as he stood in front of her and bent over so he could peer directly into her face. "It's not that big a deal."

"He's right Kagome," Instructor Kinneas said before gently patting Kagome's head. "Some people are just harder to Scan. It took me four tries to Scan the headmaster. Let me try again. You two hold on to me again."

"Are you sure?" Kagome asked as Instructor Kinneas touched her forehead again. The instructor nodded. "Trust me, it'll work this time."

Kagome sighed in relief and tucked her necklace back in her shirt before standing straight. "OK. Go ahead."

The instructor touched her forehead again and this time her chart appeared with crystal clarity as Inuyasha and Miroku read its contents.

"Garden student, human female, absorbs Holy magic. Is that right Instructor?"

"That's what it says," Instructor Kinneas said as Kagome's chart disappeared. "Hmmm...that's interesting."

"What does 'absorbs Holy power' mean?" a student asked.

"It's nothing really," the instructor assured them as she returned to the front of the class. "It's just that, unlike Inuyasha who's just immune to Thunder attacks, Kagome can actually use Holy attacks to make herself better if she's ever injured. It's nothing really. There are a few people in the world like that. They normally have an ancestor that's a priest or something. Anyway class, back to the lesson."

Miroku and the other students sat down at her instruction, his gaze fixed on Kagome as she wiped the last of the moisture away from her eyes and pulled out her magic linguistics book. 'How come I don't feel like it's that simple,' he asked himself as Instructor Kinneas continued with the day's lesson. 'I have a houshi in my family, but I can't absorb Holy magic. And why was she so upset? She looked so scared, like she had done something wrong.'

He glanced up from his musings to Kagome, her head turned away from him and her hair an inky black pool as she scribbled down notes from beh board.

'What was it that scared you Kagome?' Miroku asked himself. 'What was so bad that you cried about it?'

V

Inuyasha walked down the hallways of the door, his mind set as he sniffed out his destination. He stopped at a door on the boys side of the dorm and knocked on the door, then opened it fully when Sesshoumaru granted him entrance.

"What is it now?" he demanded as he continued to practice with a gaudy Styrofoam gunblade. The jacket of his school uniform was folded on an nearby stool, with Sesshoumaru practicing in a white tank top and the blue Garden- issue pants. Inuyasha ignored him for a moment, taking the time to watch as Sesshoumaru swung and parried with the enormous orange practice weapon before Sesshoumaru cleared his throat.

"I said, what is it?" he growled before stopping and leaning against a nearby wall. "I'm sure you're not here to watch me practice."

"Nope, not really," Inuyasha grinned and leaned against the doorframe while his brother glared at him. "I get my own next week you know."

"I can't even pretend to care," Sesshoumaru quipped before grabbing a nearby towel and dabbing the sweat from his forehead. "Now why are you here?"

Inuyasha huffed angrily, the names he normally spat at his brother struggling to jump from the tip of his tongue. "Well you're the one that told me to find you if anything strange happened. What, now you don't care?"

"Strange how?"

"Well..." Inuyasha paused to scratch his head, now second-guessing his decision to bring this to Sesshoumaru of all people. "It's this girl. She's-"

"That, Inuyasha, is puberty," Sesshoumaru interrupted with a roll of his eyes and a quick swing of his practice blade. "And I definitely don't care. Leave as soon as possibl-"

"It's not that you jerk!" Inuyasha hissed back, his ears flattened to his head as a faint blush rose on his cheeks. "I don't like the girl! At least, not like that. Man, you're so gross."

"Then what is it then?" Sesshoumaru demanded before resuming his practice. "You said it's about a girl. I take it she's human?"

"Yeah, at least I think so," Inuyasha began. "But...I'm having some doubts. Kagome-"

"That's the female's name?" Sesshoumaru interrupted. Inuyasha nodded. "Yeah, you remember her don't you?"

Sesshoumaru stopped mid strike, his brow furrowed thoughtfully before shaking his head. "No, I don't know her," he replied, his thigh length braid lightly swaying with the motion. "I make it my business not to socialize with the females of that infernal race."

"Whatever Sesshoumaru," Inuyasha growled. "Look, I'm just saying that there's something not quite ...normal about her, that's all. Like her scent. It's completely different from anything I've ever caught on a human."

"How so?" Sesshoumaru replied. Inuyasha opened his mouth to answer when he caught a familiar scent coming their way. "You'll see in a sec," he said instead as he stepped into Sesshoumaru's room and leaned against the wall nearest to the door. Sesshoumaru frowned questioningly, then wiped all emotion from his face as Kagome's head popped into the doorframe. "Hey Inuyasha," she greeted, making a point to ignore Sesshoumaru as she stepped into the threshold. She gave the ends of her shorts a sharp downward tug, her waistband snapping back in place while she waved.

"Yeah Kagome?" Inuyasha gave his brother a queer look before giving Kagome his full attention. "What'd ya want?"

"Have you seen Miroku anywhere?" she asked, her green eyes narrowed slightly as Sesshoumaru glared at her. Inuyasha shook his head. "No, not lately. Why? Are you two in _looovvveee _or something? He did give you that compliment in class today!"

"No!" Kagome nearly shrieked then apologized when Inuyasha's ears flattened and Sesshoumaru winced from the volume. "I have a favor to ask him, that's all!"

"What's the favor?" Inuyasha teased as he tugged a nearby ponytail. He laughed when she slapped his hand away and puffed in his direction. "You're such a jerk!" she shouted angrily, her hands fisted at her sides as she glared at him. "All I did was ask you one simple question but nooooooooo...you have to be a di-"

"If you are looking for Saikai-san, you should check the library," Sesshoumaru interrupted. "Or the quad. He is most likely in one of those places at this time of day."

"Oh." Kagome deflated instantly. She gave Inuyasha one last pointed look before bowing politely in Sesshoumaru's direction. "Thanks. I'll leave you guys alone now."

"Hey," Inuyasha called out as Kagome quit the room. "What are you looking for him for anyway?"

Kagome angrily gestured to her shorts. "To see if I can get some pants."

"But you know they're not a part of the girls' uniform," Inuyasha told her as she scurried down the hallway.

"Ask me if I care Inuyasha! Bye!"

Inuyasha waved back and returned to Sesshoumaru's room with a smug grin. "See, what did I tell you?"

"Her scent is rather...unique," Sesshoumaru admitted reluctantly. He kneeled down and began returning his practice weapon to it's case, mentally going over the girl's scent as the last traces of water lilies faded from the room. "No human smells like that," he finally told Inuyasha as he stood back up. "She must have a sealing spell on her."

"No, I don't think so," Inuyasha shook his head. "Wouldn't you have smelled it by now?"

"There are some that you can't smell," Sesshoumaru told him, though he knew that spells as strong as those would be hard to come by and harder to justify. "And anyway, what does a mere girl have to do with me? I have more important things to worry about."

"That's **not all** you-arg! I don't know why I waste my time on you!" Inuyasha vented as he began to leave. "I guess you **don't** care that the girl can absorb Holy magic!"

"What did you say?"

Inuyasha looked over his shoulder at Sesshoumaru and grinned when he found golden eyes like his own finally watching him. "Oh, now you care? Well, today in class we were learning the Scan spell right? Anyway, Miroku and I showed up just fine, but it took four tries before she showed up."

"So?" Sesshoumaru shrugged as he pulled on his uniform jacket. "You and the other human just screwed it up, that's all."

"That's what we thought too, until Instructor Kinneas tried. It took her a few times to get her too and when Kagome's chart came up, it said that she absorbed Holy magic."

"She could have a houshi in her family," Sesshoumaru explained. Inuyasha shook his head. "She could, but that still doesn't explain why she got so upset when we couldn't Scan her. It was like she was scared something would happen. It was _weird_ Sesshoumaru."

"Hmm..."

"What do you plan to do about it?" Inuyasha asked as Sesshoumaru shoved him out the room, then stepped out himself and closed the door.

"Oh, I don't plan to do anything," Sesshoumaru answered. "You know her, so you find out what's going on."

"Yeah right," Inuyasha growled as Sesshoumaru walked away. "Like I'm some kind of lap dog or something. I'll just find out for myself."

VI

Weeks became months and in that time Inuyasha and Miroku were accepted in Kagome's inner circle. The group of five could be seen all around the Garden and were always together whenever possible. The semester was finally ending, with Christmas holidays a week away much to the students excitement and relief.

Today, Sango was running from the library to the training center, complaining to herself about her lack of sleep as she followed the green pathway down the training center hallway. 'It's Saturday morning for love's sake!' she grumbled as she dodged one of the smaller students and vaulted over the spilled contents of someone's bookbag. 'I'm supposed to be watching cartoons, not trying to practice some stupid magic!'

"Sango!" Shippou shouted the moment she entered the training center. "Over here!" Sango glanced around quickly and found the kit waving from Kagome's shoulder, the others bickering about something as they stood in the middle of the training center courtyard. She skidded to a halt beside Kagome and grinned when Shippou jumped to her shoulder and hugged her head.

"You know Sango, you take too long!" he grumbled as he stuck a finger in his ear. "Those guys have been arguing since this morning! Gah, it's so frustrating!!!!"

"It can't be that bad," Sango laughed as she petted his tail and gave him a squeeze. She looked up to find Inuyasha choking Miroku, with Kagome insistently rapping on Inuyasha's head as she held on to the back of his shirt for balance. "Can it?"

"Inuyasha stop!" Kagome practically yelled in his ear. Inuyasha flinched and dropped the poor boy, Miroku landing painfully on his rear as Inuyasha attempted to grab Kagome's fist as she continuously punched him between the ears. "You're such a jerk! Why do you always have to pick on us?"

"I didn't even **say** anything to you you wench!" Inuyasha screeched, then regretted it when Kagome fisted both his ears in her hands and jerked them apart.

"I'm not a wench you insensitive creep!" she hollered as she pounded on his head some more. Inuyasha stopped trying to pry her off and instead focused on her fists as he danced around the room in a near panic.

"Get off me Kagome!" he pleaded as a knot began to form at the crown of his head. "I didn't mean it I swear! I'm sorry!"

"Oh. OK then." Kagome jumped down and smiled as he rubbed his abused head, his amber eyes glaring down at her. "All you had to say was sorry Inuyasha. Hi Sango!"

"Um...hey Kagome," Sango greeted with a stunned wave, her and Shippou completely traumatized. "Uh...what have I missed?"

"It's nothing," Kagome brushed aside as Miroku dusted himself off. "Let's get to work shall we?"

"Hey Sango," Shippou whispered in her ear as the group gathered in a circle. "Is Kagome acting kinda strange to you?"

"What are you talking about?"

"She's been so ...happy lately. It's weird. I'm not saying I don't like the change because I do, I'm just wondering what's caused it."

"I don't know," Sango shrugged. "Maybe it's because she has friends now and she realizes that. I think she IS happy."

"OK people," Inuyasha started while clapping his hands. "You know what you're here for. Let's get start-"

"Actually," Miroku interrupted as he searched the grass below for his missing hair tie. "We don't have a clue as to why we're here. You just called us out here and said bring our Cure cards."

"Well duh, isn't it obvious?" Inuyasha snapped. "You know we've got midterms next week right?"

"Yeah," Shippou chirped before jumping from Sango's shoulder to the ground and transforming into a slightly taller version of himself. "All the classes are divided by days, with first and second block on Monday, third and fourth block on Tuesday and fifth and sixth block's on Wednesday."

"And all the classes are half days!" Sango piped in. "Kagome and I are leaving for Timber on Wednesday!"

"Anyway," Inuyasha growled. "Before you guys added your two Gil, we need to practice our magic for Wednesday-"

"We've got ours on Tuesday," Shippou interrupted and cried out when Inuyasha bopped him in the head. Inuyasha yelped when Kagome returned the favor and shook her little fist in his direction.

"Don't get started," she warned him. Inuyasha snorted in indifference but wisely decided to leave the kit alone before continuing. "**Anyway**, it doesn't matter when you've got the class. We need to practice for it. Now does anyone have those gesture-thingys that the instructor was talking about?"

"I've got mine!" Shippou exclaimed. "See?" He raised the tip of his tail and traced a counterclockwise circle with it, then gave it a strong flick like the tip of a whip. "Not bad huh?"

"That's good Shippou," Kagome agreed. Shippou beamed happily as the others demonstrated and critique one another. After a while, the only one left was Kagome, who still didn't have a helping gesture of her own.

"I know!" Miroku said when all other gestures had failed. "Why don't you kiss your fingertips?"

"What?" the others shouted. "Why would she do a dumb thing like that?!" Shippou replied.

"Yeah!" Sango agreed as she fumed from behind the shorter fox. "That's so dumb! You're such a pervert!"

"No wait, let me explain!" Miroku pleaded as he held up his hands in defense. "Look, all of ours are gestures that we wouldn't normally do right? Unless Inuyasha purposely flaps his ears like a bird?"

"Shut up man," Inuyasha grumbled with a huff. "What's it to ya?"

"I'm just saying, how likely is it we'll see Kagome blow someone a kiss? Never. So, why not just have her kiss her fingertips when she wants to cast a spell? It's discreet and unusual enough to work."

"Er, Kagome," Sango shrugged as Kagome looked on. "He does have a point."

"Yeah, I hate saying it though," Inuyasha agreed. "Why not just try it? Use a Cure card or something."

"Fine," Kagome relented with a sigh. She closed her eyes and softly kissed her fingers as she pressed one of her Cure cards to Shippou's forehead. The card activated instantly and disappeared in the usual puff of glittery dust. "Did it work?" she asked Shippou. He blinked rapidly, the sparkly remains of the card clouding his vision before emerald green orbs stared up at her.

"Yeah!" he chirped excitedly. "I feel great! Wow Kagome, I think that's it!"

"There you have it," Miroku said as the door to the left branch of the training grounds closed behind him. "I told you it would work."

"Only a child would think of something so stupid," Sesshoumaru commented as he walked past them, a real gunblade in his hands as he made his way to the exit doors. "And only another child would actually do it."

"Just who asked you anyways?" Kagome commented sharply. "I don't remember asking you for your two Gil!"

"Uh, Kagome," Shippou tugged on Kagome's pants as Sesshoumaru closed the distance between them. "Don't you know who that is?"

"Yeah, I know who he is," Kagome nodded before Sesshoumaru stopped inches from her face and glared down at her. She glared up at him in return, her eyes glittering angrily as they narrowed in his direction. "He's some stuck up kid who has to shove his nose in other people's business."

"And to think I helped you a few months ago," Sesshoumaru growled in annoyance. "That won't happen again."

"Like I'll ever need your help you stuck up dog," Kagome snapped. "Next time, just save yourself the trouble and keep your mouth shut."

"You can't tell me what to do human," Sesshoumaru replied and frowned when Kagome yawned in his face. "I'm tired of trying to talk to you," he growled and flexed his claws. Inuyasha stepped between them and jerked Kagome behind him before Sesshoumaru could act on the threat.

"Look Sesshoumaru," Inuyasha reasoned as he held Kagome at bay. "She's just bad tempered ok? You normally look over girls like her, so try it today. She's not even worth getting mad at-YOW!!!"

"I suggest you learn to control your wench Inuyasha," Sesshoumaru replied as Kagome resumed assaulting Inuyasha's head. "Or else someone will do it for you."

Kagome stopped when he turned around, her eyes focused solely on him as Sesshoumaru disappeared from the room. "That jerk," she muttered as Inuyasha straightened out his hair. "He's the second person today to call me a wench."

"Forget him Kagome," Inuyasha said as he too glared in the direction Sesshoumaru disappeared from. "He's just a jerk like you said."

"Yeah but that jerk needs to learn a lesson," Kagome growled to herself as Inuyasha returned to the others. The rim of her eyes glowed a faint green for a few seconds, then returned to normal when Kagome blinked and turned back to the group. Everyone froze when a girlish scream split the air from the training center hallway and they bolted from the room to see if they could help.

VII

Sesshoumaru stormed from the training center, taking a moment to sheath his gunblade as he continued down the hallway. 'I can't believe that brat!' Sesshoumaru fumed to himself, his hands clenching and unclenching as tiny droplets of blood fell from the tips of his claws.

'How dare she talk to me that way! I'm going to have to teach her a lesson.'

"Hey Sesshoumaru," another Garden student greeted as he walked past. Sesshoumaru nodded his head in acknowledgment and frowned as the beginning of a warm sensation began at the back of his thighs. He ignored it, figuring it to be friction from the encumbering uniform. He stopped to investigate when the heat traveled up to his back. He glanced over, his golden eyes as wide as dinner plates as his hair blazed behind him. The orange flames greedily licked at the silvery white locks and he screamed in spite of himself.

The Garden student from earlier stopped to help him, with Instructor Trepe, Instructor Kinneas and another student appearing in the hallway beside him. "Hey, hold on ok?" Instructor Trepe said as Instructor Kinneas searched for a fire extinguisher. "How did this happen?" she snapped at the first Garden student. He quickly shrugged as Inuyasha and the others poured from the training center, each crashing into his back and nearly bowling him over.

"I don't know!" the first Garden student said. "I was walking past him when _WOOSH_! I had nothing to do with it!"

"No one said you did," Instructor Trepe assured him as Instructor Kinneas came back emptyhanded. "I can't find the extinguisher's Quistis," she wheezed, slightly out of breath as she grasped her knees and steadied herself. "It's like someone took them on."

"Damn it," Instructor Trepe cursed under her breath before stepping away from Sesshoumaru and motioning for the others to do the same. "Let's see if this works!"

A ball of water suddenly surrounded Sesshoumaru, levitated the teenager three feet from the floor and exploded in thousands of tiny droplets. Sesshoumaru dropped to the floor, his hair extinguished but the rest of him was soaking wet from head to toe.

"Are you alright?" Instructor Trepe asked as she helped him to stand. She patted his back as he coughed up water, ignoring his silent attempts to wave her aside until he practically shoved her away from him and glared down at Inuyasha and the others. Golden eyes bled crimson, tiny threads of the foreboding color slowly threading into the whites of his eyes.

"You," he snarled, his fangs lengthening as he struggled to hold on to his sanity. "One of you did this."

"Are you **_high_**?!" Inuyasha shouted back as Instructor Trepe stood up and flicked the water from her skirt. "We just got out here! How the hell do you think _we_ set you on fire!"

"Are you saying that I did this to myself?"

"Stranger stuff has happened Fluffy-butt!"

"You're going to regret that hanyo-"

"STOP!"

Sesshoumaru froze mid stride, his eyes narrowed and completely crimson as he hovered inches from Inuyasha's nose. Inuyasha's eyes widened in surprise, and he poked Sesshoumaru's shoe before turning to the instructors. "Wow," he breathed as Kagome and the others moved to stand beside him. "That's so cool."

"Did you kids set him on fire?" Instructor Trepe asked. Miroku shook his head. "All we have are our Cure cards," he said while he held up a few. "We don't even know the Fire spells."

"That's true Quistis," Instructor Kinneas nodded. "I gave them the Cure cards yesterday and they don't have any GF's so they can't draw new magic."

"I just don't understand it," Instructor Trepe said as she grasped a still immobile Sesshoumaru, tucked him underneath her own and began to walk away.

"Where are you taking him?" Kagome asked as she ran to catch up. Instructor Trepe shifted him so that he was slung over her shoulder and sighed.

"I'm going to take him to the infirmary to make sure he's not burned and then he's going to his room to change clothes."

"Oh. Can I give him one of my Cure cards?"

"Sure," Instructor Trepe nodded, then stopped and held him still. Sesshoumaru growled as she neared him, the dislike for her evident in his eyes while Kagome ignored him. She held the card in her hand and kissed it before pressing it to his forehead. It disappeared in the typical sparkly dust and the crimson slowly leaked from his eyes.

"Bye Sesshoumaru," Kagome waved as Instructor Trepe walked away. "Feel better soon."

"Am I the only one who found that strange?" Miroku whispered to Inuyasha as they watched Instructor Trepe disappear around the corner. "I mean, a few minutes ago Kagome was royally pissed at the guy. Now she's all buddy-buddy. It's not normal."

"You're tellin' me," Inuyasha griped as Kagome turned around and smiled at them. "It's almost...scary."

"I say we keep an eye on the lady Kagome from now on," Miroku suggested. Inuyasha only nodded in agreement as turquoise eyes smiled at him, the mesmerizing depths of the orbs just as mysterious as the ocean they so resembled.

(End Chapter)

SF: OK, that's chapter two of A Cross. I don't think it's bad, do you guys?

Kagome: I like it!

Sango: I don't know. Kagome seems a bit bi-polar.

SF: Kagome's not bi-polar. She's a Gemini. There's a difference.

Sesshou: And what do you know about Geminis?

SF: I know my mom's one. She's a true Gemini too. Oh, but don't worry because there's another chapter. The summary's below.

Chapter Thirteen: Weapons Assignment

Sango: I just love my new weapon! I know it's not the same as everyone else's, but it's so cool! I can't believe little Shippou is starting with us! Aw man, it must be stellar to be a youkai! But poor Kagome, she can't decide on what she wants. Wait a second...is that her going in that class? But what's she doing with the gunblade students?!

Reviews:

jschu25: Believe it or not, I've never read the Harry Potter series, nor have I seen any of the movies. I know, it sounds so odd but I haven't a clue about the series. Oh yeah, Kagome's last statement was a little weird but you have to understand that she and Shippou have been on a train by themselves, totally unsupervised with lots of other grown- ups around them. There's no telling what kind of characters were on there, and there's nothing to prevent her from repeating what she hears others say.

IsisTheEgyptianGoddess: There may be a way to bribe me, but I've never actually thought about it. Yup, they're kids for about two or three chapters, then they're grown up and their adventure begins! I can't wait! I'm so excited!!!

Tokia: No problem. I've been having problems myself with my old computer. Everything's straight now. Thanks for the love for this story and I hope your computer problems are better.

SwEeT-cHiCk-08: I'm so glad you approve. I thought it would make more sense to those who've never played the game to go this far back with the story. This way everyone will be able to understand the strategic functions of the fiction. As for the Kag/ Sess action, she'll eventually end up stuck with him but I can't tell you how or why!

SesshoumaruXp: The Garden and SeeD ideas are from the FF8 game. It's a merger between the two. There are a few characters that are from the game itself, like Irvine and Selphie, and some that are new. What about the lemons? I'm a Sesshou maniac too! It's just something...I don't about him.

Angeltiger: To be honest, it's not necessarily my idea. RPG-girl started one a while back, but deleted it because she said it needed work. I'm a huge FF nut too but 8 is my all time fave! Silver: It's the only romance she likes. (shakes head) Such a shame really. SF: Anyway, I'm going to use some of the plot, but not all.

Gray Wolf Demon: Thanks a lot for the support. Yup, Squall and the others are going to be in this, and they'll be here pretty frequently too.

Larka the White Wolf: Unfortunately, we never find out what that argument was about. It was just a way to introduce their chibi selves to the story. Thanks for the love though!

Kagome: Once again, you end up running across my stage. Someday you're going to learn not to piss off the inu youkai. I agree with you though. He is a real jerk in some situations. Next time, try to fly or something. Or maybe dig your way out of the situation. It's a lot less extensive than running.

inudemoness247: Hey, thanks a lot. I'm glad your enjoying it so far. There won't be a lot of the chibi Inu gang, so enjoy them while they're here. Sooner or later they're going to grow up and that's where the real adventure begins. Unfortunately, Kagome keeps that trust issue throughout the story, but hopefully everything will end up alright for her and the others!

Ceilne Frost: Thanks! No doubt, this will be a S/ K pairing. I think that's all I ever do now. The only time I might consider changing that is if it's a different story or something.

Mayukagurl: Nope, there's no chibi Squall in this story. He has a more important, but less seen role.

DarkWarLordofDoomness: Thanks a lot! I was worried about how they would sound as kids, but I'm glad they make sense!

Kuraii Koneko: Yup, this is another S/K story. That's all I do! (grins) It's good to find another person that's just as addicted to the pairing as I am.

Reality: Do you mean normal like I/K normal or are we talking about what I normally do normal?

Dark Neko-chan: Thanks a lot! I just couldn't pass up the chance to try one of the chibi fics that's out now! It's lots of fun so far! Anyway, did you know that you're drawing was picked for the fave pic at A Single Spark? I'm so proud of you!

tessa3: lol. Thanks. It's good you're looking out for old girl. I'd be so messed up if you didn't. So you've seen bits of it eh? Do you think I'm explaining it right for those that have never seen it?

Kura-sama: Well, different is good...right? I certainly hope so because this fic promises to follow in it's predecessors footsteps and be a total head screwer.

Thesta: Yup! Believe it or not, a lot of the old gang are instructors or something in this fic! And just a small question: Dd you notice what Sango and Seifer have in common?

_**And Special Thanks to...**_

**Courtney **

**angel16 **

**Fire Phoenix**

**missthix2006 **

**Pyro89 **

**Skitzoflame **

**Hiraikotsu Slinger **

**Tears-ofthe-Shadows **

**Leena**

**ReginaLucifer **

**Shymiko **

**MusiqMistress**

_**Thanks for the reviews!**_


	3. Weapons Assignment

Disclaimer: No, I don't own it. But I want it though! If you're offerin' I've got...(opens pockets) a Snicker's fun sized wrapper and...what the hell? What's this Barbie brush doin' in here?!

Chapter Two: Weapons Assignment

I

_Dear Souta,   
_

_Happy birthday!   
_

_Did you really think I'd forget about my kid brother's ninth birthday? No way! That's all I've been waiting on! I can't wait for you to get the gift I sent you! You're going to love it! I had to practically beg Headmaster Leonheart for it, but it was worth it. You have to send me a picture with you holding it!_

_I hear your on the Scholar's List too! You're just a regular genius! I'm so proud of you!_

_As for me, I've been doing a few things this year. Do you remember Inuyasha and the others? Of course you do. You practically hung from Inuyasha like a Christmas tree ornament at last year's Parent/Teacher Day. Well they say hi and happy birthday. Inuyasha thinks he's so cool now that he's fifteen. He walks around like he's our dad or something. What a joke! He's so funny though, and he keeps Sesshoumaru from choking us when we play our tricks on him.   
_

_You remember his brother too right? He's supposed to be taking his SeeD test after this year's Parent/Teacher Day. He thinks he's cool too, but he's being a jerk about it.   
_

_Sango and I have started helping out in the infirmary. Now that we're thirteen, we can get paid for it too. Its only one to two hundred Gil a day, but it's better than bumming our parents for money. I've passed both my Magic 102A and 102B classes. I've already started Magic 103 with GF Applications, and it's harder than I thought it would be. It's so much fun though. By the time you see me, I'll be a regular wizard.   
_

_Sango's mother is so nice by the way. Over summer vacay, she took us to visit Winhill, where Miroku lives. It's so quiet there, nothing at all like Balamb or Timber. No wonder Miroku's always so calm. He's got that great place to look forward to._

_Anyway, we've got something special planned so I've got to cut this short. We get our weapon assignments Monday! I still don't know what I want, but I think Sango wants something odd, like a boomerang or something. I remember her saying something about it. We get to start our defensive training too. I can't wait to see what the others choose. Maybe that'll help me. No matter what I pick though, I'll be sure to send you a picture of it.   
_

_Gotta go little bro. Happy birthday again and tell everyone at school hello!   
_

_Kagome_

_P. S. How could I have forgotten? I get to be a Mentor to someone too! He's coming tomorrow afternoon after school. I wonder what he's like..._

II

Kagome quickly jotted down the notes on the blackboard as the instructor wrote them down, then grimaced when Inuyasha nudged her in the side. "What now Inuyasha?" Kagome hissed softly while he nudged Sango.

"Guess what?"

"Can't it wait?" Sango asked. "I've got to get this down. I'm practically flunking this class."

"So what!" Inuyasha huffed. "I've got something more important than some dumb old magic notes!"

"What?" Kagome quipped sarcastically. "How to be a Jerk for Dummies?"

"Real cute Kagome," Inuyasha snorted. "I'll remember that when I drive past you."

"You got your license _already_?" a redheaded student in front of them asked as he swivelled around in his seat. Inuyasha nodded, a wide grin spread across his face. "Yup! Got it yesterday after class!"

"Ah man," the student sighed as he turned back around. "I can't wait until I turn fifteen. It's gonna be so cool."

"What's the big deal?" Kagome whispered as Sango listened in. "What's so great about being fifteen?"

"Sheesh, you don't know?" Inuyasha grumbled. "Figures."

"Just tell us Inuyasha," Sango whispered as she rapped her pencil against one of his ears. He winced and growled a warning in her direction, then sighed when she ignored it. "See, the driving instructors start teaching you Driver's Ed a couple of months before you turn fifteen, then they give you the test and your licence on your birthda-"

"Cadet Endo?"

Inuyasha grimaced, then innocently turned toward the front of the class and the waiting instructor. "Yes, Instructor Kaede?"

The instructor turned a blind eye to his innocent act. "Cadet Endo, have you been paying attention back there?"

"Uh....yes ma'am."

Instructor Kaede sighed softly, then pointed to the blackboard. "Then you wouldn't mind naming three types of Life magic then."

"Um, no ma'am. I don't mind." 'Holy crap,' Inuyasha thought when she smiled, wise old eyes twinkling mischievously. "There's...Life, Full-Life, and Cure!"

"Well done Cadet Endo," Instructor Kaede congratulated as she applauded his efforts. "That was very good. I'm impressed."

"Yeah well," Inuyasha blushed as he scratched an ear. "I told you I was paying attention."

"Of course," she smiled appealingly. "I'm so very sorry. In that case, you can answer another question."

"Go for it," Inuyasha replied confidently. "I'm ready for anything."

"Good. Is Holy considered a Life magic?"

"Nope."

"**Eee**," a student buzzed as the rest of the class giggled around him. "Wrong answer."

"No it's not!" Inuyasha retorted angrily.

"Actually, it is Cadet Endo," Instructor Kaede said before turning back to the blackboard and writing out a list of magic. "Holy is actually a Life category magic."

"How is that possible?" Sango asked with her hand raised as Kagome continued to scribble on her yellow notepad. "Isn't Holy much more dangerous than Life magic?"

"It is Cadet Almasy. Allow me to explain." Instructor Kaede jotted down a little mor eon the board, then dusted the chalk residue off her hands. "Just as there are four levels of magic classes, there are four levels of magic. I'm sure you all learned this years ago in your Magic 101 and 102 classes.

"With Life magic, there are equally the same levels. For Magic 103, you're going to learn about Curaga, Full-Life and Regen because those are the Level 3 Life magics. Holy is Level 4 and you won't learn about them until next year. Death is also a Level 4 and is considered a Life magic."

"But why?" the redheaded student asked. "Aren't Death and Holy destructive magic? I thought only healing magic was labeled Life magic."

"Holy and Death are considered Life magics because Holy is considered the only powerful weapon against undead monsters like zombies and walking skeletons. Death has the ability to take away Life."

"Oh, ok then," Sango replied. Kagome nodded in understanding and Instructor Kaede resumed the day's lesson. Kagome's focus drifted away from the lesson to other, superficial matters as the instructor's voice droned on in the background. 'Instructor Kaede's hair is so pretty,' she mused as she muffled a stiff yawn. The instructor turned her head, the pearly white strands falling about her shoulders in deep waves. 'It's all white and wavy. I hope my hair is that pretty when I get old. Who am I kidding?' Kagome asked herself with a sigh. 'I'm not pretty now. What makes me think things will change when I get old?'

She glanced over at Sango and sighed again, envious of her friend as chocolate brown strands as straight as straw flowed from the ponytail at the back of her head. Though Sango and Kagome were the same age, Sango's body was already developing into the womanly figure she would possess as an adult, while Kagome's body was still rather petite and childish...that is, except for her height. To her horror, she managed to grow to 5'6" which was much taller than the average 4'5" of her classmates. Only Inuyasha, Miroku and the others in their class and higher were taller than her. She was already dealing with the teasing and insults from the other students, but more than once she wished she and Sango could switch places for a day.

Instructor Kaede glanced down when her watch began to beep, then looked up at the clock on the wall behind her. "Goodness," she said as she turned back to the class. "It's almost time for the fourth block bell. I'd better make this quick then." She reached back and lifted up the projection screen covering half of the chalkboard, revealing a list and a heading that said

Today's Homework!

"Awwwwwww," the class groaned as she handed out a work sheet.

"Now now class," Instructor Kaede chastened as the papers were passed around. "It's only a little homework and it's something you need to know."

"But Instructor, our weapons assignments are on Monday," another student wined. "All of our other classes aren't giving us homework!"

"And I'm not your other instructors," Instructor Kaede answered. "Besides, it's only a little homework." She gestured to the blackboard as the worksheets finally came to Kagome, Sango and Inuyasha's table.

"You see, your grade for this class-Magic 103 for those of you who haven't been paying attention-depends on one third of three things. One is class participation. That's quizzes, homework and class participation. The second half is all in-class tests and your final exam. The last part is an essay which I'm going to explain now."

"Aww," Inuyasha grumbled. "Not an essay! I hate essays!"

"You're to choose three elements for your essay and divide them by magic categories, GFs and opposite elements."

"What's a GF?" a student asked while Inuyasha dropped his head to the desk's surface.

"A GF is a Guardian Force. They're creatures that can be summoned to help you in battle. We'll begin our lessons on GFs Monday." The bell rang and the students stood up and gathered their books to leave. Instructor Kaede raised her voice above the soft murmurings of the cadets. "Oh, and first time Mentors, you're to pick up your assignment envelopes from the Infirmary before lunch and the cadets your assigned to after school today from Balamb Station."

"Man, this sucks," Inuyasha griped as he, Kagome and Sango left class and made their way to the elevator for lunch. "I can't believe some stupid paper is going to be a third of our grade. Gods, couldn't she have thought of something _better_ than that to torture us with?"

"Don't complain Inuyasha," Sango told him. "You know Kagome and I are going to help you out anyway. You know we'll do whatever it takes for you to pass."

"How about doing the report for me?"

"Um...no," Kagome said with a shake of her head and a laugh at his disappointment. Inuyasha frowned and walked away, limping slightly from the weighted neon orange Styrofoam gunblade sheathed at his left side. "Hey Inuyasha," Kagome began as she and Sango ran up to catch him. "Have you ordered your gunblade gloves yet?"

"Oh crap!" Inuyasha exclaimed as he shacked himself in the forehead with the heel of his right hand. "I forgot and Sesshoumaru wants his back before Monday!"

"I thought you would, so I ordered them for you."

"Thanks so much Kagome!" Inuyasha said as he roughly patted her shoulder. "You're the best."

"Yeah well," Kagome blushed. "It's nothing. I almost forgot, I've got to go to the Infirmary for my Mentor Envelope."

"Oh yeah, you are supposed to be one aren't you?" Sango said as they took their turns in the elevator.

"Yeah. Instructor Kinneas thought it'd be a good idea," Kagome shrugged. "So I'll go there first before coming to lunch."

"We'll save you a seat ok?" Sango said after they got off the elevator and began the walk around the commons to the Infirmary and Cafeteria wings. Kagome nodded and made to sprint off when Inuyasha stopped her.

"Hey, you need a ride to Balamb later on?"

"Yeah," Kagome stopped and gave him a funny look. "You're offering to take me?"

"It's the least I could do, seeing that you helped me out," Inuyasha replied. Kagome grinned and nodded. "OK then. That'll be great! Oh, but I'll see you guys at lunch!" She veered to the left and followed the lavender pathway to the Infirmary.

III

Shippou darted out of the dormitory and toward the commons circle, his world history book in his hand as he mentally reviewed his earlier lessons and avoided running into anyone. 'I don't fully understand it,' Shippou finally admitted to himself. 'Instructor said that there were two wars, but the first one was said to have ended in Esthar with Sorceress Adel ostracized into space. What I don't fully understand is why they had to put her there. And wouldn't she have died just being out there by herself all the time?

'I know!' he exclaimed suddenly, a wide grin blooming on his cherub face. 'I'll ask Kagome! If anyone knows, she'll know!' His grin widened when he saw her standing by the 'Parking Lot' sign at the edge of the entrance, dressed as always in her 'special' issue uniform. 'More like she bribed Miroku for it,' he snickered, remembering full well the methods his surrogate sister had used against the older boy just for five pairs of pants.

'Then again, I would have given them to her too if _I _were the one that drilled that peephole in the girls' bathroom.'

He quickened his pace and had to physically keep himself from running to her when another student ran into her from behind. She stumbled forward as he fell down, papers scattered all over the hallway. Kagome turned and quickly apologized, then kneeled down and attempted to help him collect himself and retrieve his papers. The student rudely snatched them from her hands and glared at her. "Why don't you watch where you're standin'!"

"Excuse me?" Kagome squeaked angrily, her eyes blazing a fierce blue as she glared down at him. "I'm not the one that got run into you jerk!"

"Yeah well, I'm sure it's hard for you to see us normal people from way up there, butat least _try_ not to stand in the middle of the hallway!" He walked away in a huff, throwing one last "Freak!" over his shoulder before moving past Shippou and disappearing further into the commons. Shippou approached Kagome cautiously, sensing the sudden wave of sadness coming from her as the scent of salt cut through the others surrounding them.

"Kagome?" Shippou whispered as he kneeled by Kagome's side. "Kagome, are you ok?"

"Yeah," she nodded, blinking back tears that threatened to spill at any moment. "I'm fine little buddy. Don't worry about me."

"I know Kagome but he was so-"

"Mean?" Kagome finished for him before dusting off her hands and rising to her feet. "Yeah, I know. Aren't they all? Come on," she said as she walked away. "We've got to meet the others."

Shippou followed quietly, then ran in front of her and quickly embraced her, his arms wrapping around her waist and his face buried against her right side. "I don't care what they say," he muttered as Kagome stared down at him. "I still think you're the prettiest girl in school."

It took her a minute to respond, but when she did it more than surprised him and he couldn't help the squeak that escaped when she lifted the nine year old off the floor and held him to her like an overstuffed teddy bear. Shippou managed to hug her back, his tail circling her waist to twitch behind her.

"Thanks Shippou," he heard her whisper before putting him down. Kagome took a deep breath and physically shook herself, then followed Shippou down the yellow marked pathway to the Garden's parking lot where Inuyasha, Sango and Miroku sat waiting.

"Took you two long enough," Inuyasha grumbled as he opened the door to a burgundy four door with a black leather top. "You two are so slow. Anyway, get in the car."

Shippou called shotgun, leaving Sango in the middle of the back seat with Kagome and Miroku on either end. Inuyasha started the car and sped out of the parking garage, past the gate and off the Garden grounds. Shippou looked back and sighed as Kagome stared out the window, her mind obviously miles away from her friends. She sighed softly, her eyes briefly closing before opening a file he failed to notice earlier.

"Who're we pickin' up anyway Kagome?" Inuyasha asked as he swerved around a squirrel in the middle of the road. "You never said anything about it"

"That's right Kagome," Miroku said when he turned to her. "You haven't said a wo-"

"Oooooo!" Shippou exclaimed suddenly. "When did you get earrings Miroku?"

"Miroku you didn't," Sango frowned before grabbing his chin and jerking it from one side to the other. "You're mom is going to be so mad."

"She's already mad," Miroku grumbled as he shot a glare at Inuyasha. "She saw it before we came back from winter holiday."

"Why'd you do it?" Shippou asked and winced when Miroku scowled. "**I** didn't do it," he said as he pointed to Inuyasha. "Inuyasha did it!"

"It's not my fault!" Inuyasha retorted with a huff. "OK, you guys know about the Deling City Christmas parade right?"

"Yeah," Sango nodded while Kagome continued to read. "It's got those really big balloons and those floats made of flowers-"

"And street performers!" Shippou chirped excitedly. "I saw it on TV!"

"Yeah, well Miroku decided to push me in front of one of those floats," Inuyasha growled. "So I boxed his ears. I couldn't help it man! He does the same thing to me!"

"But I don't have claws," Miroku huffed. "One earring is bad, but _three_? Mom nearly fainted."

"I don't know what you're complaining about," Inuyasha griped as he turned a corner and passed by a lush forest. "I had to buy the pervert the earrings! And I'm stuck with the look the salesman gave me for the rest of my life."

"Was it something ugly?" Sango asked sympathetically. Miroku snickered and shook his head. "It was more of a 'I can't wait until you get older so we can hook up' look. That's what he gets."

"I ought to put you out."

"We're here now," Sango said as they passed through Balamb's town entrance. "So he may as well stay in the car. Put him out on the way home."

Kagome looked up from her reading and glanced outside, watching the buildings as they slowly moved past them. Balamb was mostly a residential town with a few shops, restaurants, an inn and the only train on the entire island that connected to the mainland. Kagome yawned as they followed the road around the inn to a large parking lot on the other side. Inuyasha parked in the middle, making it impossible for anyone else to park before turning off the ignition and motioning for the others to get out.

"So," Inuyasha began as he locked the doors and followed the others along the sidewalk back to the main road. "Where's this guy from anyway Kagome? You never answered."

"Oh yeah. I didn't did I?" Kagome mumbled as she flipped through the file. "It says here that he's from Trabia, just like you."

"Maybe I know him then," Inuyasha shrugged. "Eh, probably not though. I mostly stayed to myself. What else?"

"Um...he's youkai, and he's from the mountains near Trabia Snowfield."

"Trabia Snowfield?" Inuyasha growled softly as he followed the others into the train station. "Why's that so familiar...."

The train from Timber screeched to a slow stop in front of the station platform, steam releasing to cloud the air as passengers began to disembark. Inuyasha watched the crowd warily, his nose slightly twitching against the breeze when the scent of blizzard wind and frozen grass bombarded him. He growled slightly, his eyes scanning the crowd until amber clashed violently with an icy blue.

"Not that prick," he growled out angrily. Kagome and the others stopped to stare at him when his hands tensed at his sides and his ears pivoted forward. "Screw this. I'm goin' back to the car."

"Inuyasha!" Sango called out as he turned on his heel and practically stormed out of the station. "Where are you going? What's wrong?"

"Miroku, what's wrong with Inuyasha?" Shippou asked as Inuyasha rounded the corner by the items shop and disappeared. Miroku shrugged. "I don't know. I've never seen him so agitated."

"You guys go see about him," Kagome suggested. "I'll stay here and look for the new student. We're coming though."

"Alright then," Sango said before grabbing Miroku and Shippou by the shoulders, turning them around and pushing them out of the station after Inuyasha. "You sure you're going to be ok?"

"Yeah," Kagome nodded with a sigh. "I'll be fine. Don't worry about me."

"OK then."

Kagome sighed again as they walked away, watching the three as they began to joke around, then giggled when Sango squealed and dragged them toward the items shop at the bottom of the platform.

'Poor guys. Sango's a shop-aholic. They'll be there a while.' She turned back to the departing passengers as they began to crowd the platform. 'Oh man,' she finally sighed as she began to search the crowd. 'This is gonna be a while.'

)-(

He paused in the exit threshold, his eyes casually sweeping over the humans before yawning in boredom and placing his gloved right hand in his pocket. He was the only youkai passenger, but he was also the only passenger dressed in a Garden uniform. The gunmetal gray military style uniform clashed with cerulean eyes that narrowed slightly at the odor of the humans around him. He glanced over his shoulder when hands grasped the tip of his tail and met the smiling brown eyes of a little girl.

"Hi!" she grinned widely, showing off the empty space where her front tooth used to be. "Rin's name is Rin. Rin and Rin's family are moving to Es...Es...um...Rin does not remember. Rin likes your soft tail. Why do you have a tail when Rin does not?"

"It's because I'm a wolf, brat," he growled as he jerked his tail away from her. "And wolves eat little brats...especially ones that like to grab on their tails without asking. Understand?"

Rin nodded, her brown eyes wide with the fear in her scent. He smirked down at her, a single fang protruding over his lower lip. "Good." He jerked his chin toward the rest of the train. "Scat."

He grinned as she took off, resisting the primal urge to chase after what his youki would consider dinner in any other circumstance. He walked off the train to the platform and grimaced when the scent of unwashed human clashed horridly with the scent of diesel fuel and grease. "Ugh...gods, how do they stand themselves?" he wondered aloud. His eyes watered as he walked through the crowd, ambling toward who knows where with his tail wrapped around his waist and a large Garden issue backpack hanging from his right shoulder.

"Now how do I find the way out of here? I can't find the exi-"He stopped and sniffed, his head turning toward what was the proverbial light in olfactory darkness. The scent, which he noted to be water lilies upon closer inspection, grew stronger with each step he took until finally he could remove his hand from his face without gagging. He followed the scent until he stood a little behind what he thought was a human boy with long black hair pulled back in a low ponytail and dressed in a cobalt blue Garden uniform.

The boy became a girl when she turned around and he found himself intrigued with the owner of the pleasant scent. 'She's not half bad to look at either,' he smirked as he leered at long legs shrouded in the blue wide leg pants. He followed her small frame to her face just as she looked up and gazed into an intense aquamarine. They darkened to a turquoise and began to mist over when he decided to 'introduce' himself.

)-(

"Hey cutie."

Kagome glanced up and frowned at the young man in front of her. "Are you talking to me?"

"Yeah I'm talking to you. What's your name?"

"I make it a point not to talk to strangers," Kagome replied dryly with a quirked brow. She flipped through her folder again, then whacked his hand when it gently grasped her upper arm. "Don't touch me!

"Woah," he said. He stepped back, his hands held up in submission with a wide grin. "You're a wildcat aren't you? You're goanna be so hot when you grow up."

"Excuse you?!" Kagome nearly shouted as her left hand flew to her hip. She leaned toward him, her right finger raised to his face as her eyes changed to a dark blue-green. "Just who do you think you are buster? You can't talk to me like that! I don't even **KNOW** you!"

"Well if you give me a chance, I'm sure we can fix that," he countered. "What are you, thirteen or somethin'?"

"Yeah."

"That's what I thought. We're gonna date when you turn seventeen."

"Argh!" Kagome growled. She threw up her hands in frustration. "I don't have time for this," she said as she walked away. "I'm supposed to find a new student, not talk to a jerk like you."

"You're talking about a Garden student right?" he called to her back. "I'm new! I'm supposed to be transferred from Trabia Garden to Balamb!"

Kagome froze, her shoulders tensing slightly as she turned back to him. "Are you Kouga Bravaldi?"

He grinned instantly, fangs glinting in the sunlight. "Yup, that's me cutie."

"Oh, that's just great," Kagome grumbled to herself, well aware that he could hear her as she approached him. "You're from Trabia Garden?"

He tugged on the left side of his jacket and gestured toward the Garden symbol on the left breast. Kagome nodded and flipped through the folder again before reaching out to shake his hand. "I'm Kagome. I'm supposed to be your mentor."

"Are you serious?!" he guffawed, then quieted when she glared at him. "Ok then. So you're gonna show me around huh? How'd you get here anyway? You don't look old enough to be out here by yourself."

"I came with some friends. Follow me please." Kouga followed behind her, his tail loosening from his waist to languidly sway from side to side when they stepped out of the train station and onto the square. "This is Balamb," Kagome said as she gestured to the buildings around her. "This is the only town on the island, so if you need anything quickly this is the place to go. There are four restaurants, a hotel-"

"Oh yeah, I love hotels," Kouga said as they passed the weapons shop and turned toward the inn. "I've had lots of great experiences in them. I'm sure a lot of other girls have too if you know what I mean."

Kagome rolled her eyes and continued where she left off. "There's also a car rental shop at the town entrance and a pier at the end. We're going to the pier."

Kagome led him around the inn and to the pier where Inuyasha and the others were waiting. Sango looked on as Inuyasha and Shippou argued, with Shippou kicking Inuyasha in the shin as a result and Miroku doubling over in laughter. Inuyasha immediately gave chase and Shippou screeched for Kagome when she cleared her throat.

"I'm back guys. This is Kouga by the wa-"

"No fucking way," Inuyasha interrupted, Shippou forgotten as he glared at Kouga over Kagome's shoulder. "That prick's not getting in my car."

"Ooooo Inuyasha," Shippou whispered as Kouga sat on the car's hood and picked at his nails. "You cursed."

"Inuyasha..." Kouga said to himself, then turned to Inuyasha and smirked. "I remember you dog breath."

"Fuck you wolf bait! Get off my car!"

"But Inuyasha," Kagome said while Kouga stood up and moved beside her. "He's the new kid I'm supposed to be looking after! We can't just leave him here!"

"You might not be able to, but _I_ can! Stay here with the bastard."

"I'm not leaving if you leave Kagome!" Shippou said, with Sango and Miroku in agreement behind him. "Just let him in the car Inuyasha!"

"No," Inuyasha shook his head. "That jerk isn't touching my car, no less getting in it!"

"Technically, it's the Garden's car Inuyasha," Miroku said diplomatically. "However, it wouldn't be polite to simply leave him in a town he doesn't know and allow him to fend for himself."

"Ask me if I care Miroku," Inuyasha countered, then scowled when Kouga attempted to drape an arm over Kagome's shoulders. His smile only widened when she pushed his hand away and moved to the opposite side away from him.

"You know him right?" Kagome asked, then winced when Inuyasha snarled in her face, his eyes briefly flashing red.

"FUCK YEAH I KNOW THE BASTARD!!!" Inuyasha shouted. Seagulls, affronted by the noise, flew off instantly, calling their displeasure at being disturbed into the air as they flew toward the other side of Balamb. "He was my mentor when I went to Trabia. He was so concerned about being seen with a _filthy halfbreed_ that he practically left me at the front gate! He and his 'groupies' gave me Hell that entire year! Gunk in my sheets, test papers missing, you name it he and his fucked up guards did it!"

"You're still a filthy halfbreed mutt," Kouga growled casually. Inuyasha's control nearly snapped, and before he could leap for his throat Kagome shoved him backward and onto the hood of the car. She shoved him again when he made to stand up, then stood between he and Kouga and glared at them both.

"Now it's snowing, I'm tired, I'm cold and I smell like axel grease. I want to go home."

"But Kagome-"Inuyasha began as he attempted to stand, then paused when she turned and glared at him.

"Don't care. Sit Inuyasha."

Inuyasha sat.

"Now I think you two should compromise. If you Kouga, promise not to say anything to Inuyasha-"

"I don't talk to trash like him anyway," Kouga remarked.

"Trash?" Inuyasha growled before he jumped to his feet. "Who you callin tra-"

"SIT!" Kagome waited for him to do as she 'asked', then turned and glared at Kouga. "One more outburst like that and I'll let him leave you here."

"So fiery," Kouga admired with a glint in his eyes. "You know what? I'm gonna make you my woman."

"No you won't!" Inuyasha and Shippou both growled. Kagome closed her eyes and fanned herself with the folder and her hands. "Look, I'm tired. I won't say this again. Kouga, you be quiet until we get to the Garden. Inuyasha, you try real hard not to kill anyone until we get to the Garden. Everybody get in the car. Sango, sit up front with me and Inuyasha. The rest of you get in the back."

The others sheepishly did as she asked, with an occasional growl from Inuyasha as he started the car and began to make their way back to the Garden. Kagome gave a deep sigh in the silence and glanced over her shoulder at Kouga. "Once we get to the Garden, we'll do the tour and everyth-"

"I don't need the tour," he said as he reclined in his seat, rested his head against it and closed his eyes. "I won't be there that long."

"Why not?" Shippou asked from between Kouga and Miroku.

"Because I'm takin' my SeeD test in three months."

"What weapon do you use?" Sango asked as she turned around. "I didn't see one on you."

"These," he smirked as he raised a clawed fist. "These are my weapons. I don't need no sissy assed gunblade."

"Ahem," Kagome warned before reaching over and patting Inuyasha's hand. "What did I say?"

"Yeah well anyway, I don't need a weapon. I've got me. Aren't **you** taking the SeeD exam this year Inuyasha- puppy?"

"No," Miroku said as he watched a deer outside the window. "We're not taking it until Kagome and Sango are ready to take it."

"Yeah," Inuyasha said when Kagome and Sango looked at him. "We decided that we didn't want to do it until you two were ready to."

"What about me?" Shippou pouted. Kagome smiled and patted his head affectionately. "They meant you too. You know we're not a team without you."

"I know it!" Shippou beamed as he crossed his arms. "I just wanted to make sure you guys knew."

"What about you cutie?" Kouga asked as he leaned forward and hung between the passenger and driver seats. "What are you going to do? Become a medic or something? I'd love to play 'doctor' with you."

"Kagome's going to be a SeeD," Inuyasha snarled as he clutched the steering wheel hard enough to bend it. His growl deepened when Kouga laughed and he glanced at Kagome as her anger pierced the air.

"What's so funny?" Kagome asked as Kouga snorted behind her.

"I don't think you could be a SeeD," Kouga laughed as Inuyasha pulled into the Garden parking lot and parked the car. "You're too small for that. Don't worry though," he said as they all got out and began to enter the Garden. "I'll take care of you."

"And what makes you so sure that you can?" Kagome asked.

"Because I know everything," Kouga retorted with a smirk.

"Oh, you do huh? Well here then." Kagome handed him his folder and pointed toward the other side of the commons circle to the dormitory wing. "That's the dorm. The office is right at the entrance. Since you know so much, I'm sure you can find your way around the rest of the Garden. Come on guys, let's go."

Kouga watched as they walked away without him, with Shippou stopping to stick his tongue out at him before shrinking down to a smaller size and jumping to Kagome's shoulder. 'What a temper,' he growled as he turned and walked toward the dormitory. 'Man, that Kagome's something else...' He grinned to himself, blue eyes sparkling merrily at the thought of a challenge.

'I can't wait to make her mine.'

IV

"Come on Kagome," Sango said as she and Shippou met Kagome Monday afternoon outside her mathematics class. "We've got to hurry and go to lunch so we can get back to the gym!"

"Why?" Kagome asked as they dragged her to the elevator. "What's going on?"

"Don't you remember Kagome?" Shippou asked as they practically flung themselves inside. "It's weapon issue day!"

"Really?" Kagome gasped excitedly. "I can't believe I forgot!"

"Me either," Sango said as they stepped out the elevator and ran to the cafeteria. They ate lunch quickly, practically woofing down their food before sprinting back to the elevator and to the classrooms above. They raced down the hall toward the gym and separated by the locker rooms, with Shippou disappearing in the boys and Kagome and Sango disappearing in the girls.

"Well, you two are early. Here, take these," the attendant greeted as she handed them a sheet of paper and directed them toward the lockers. Kagome and Sango quickly found theirs, with one locker between them, before taking the time to read the paper.

Garden Weapons Assignment

For cadets of Balamb Garden undergoing their first weapon assignment:

1). All cadet students are to wear the Garden issue gym uniform whenever inside the gym.

2). All cadets (except for gunblade cadets) are to check their weapons back to the gym after the period is over. Practice weapons can be signed out at the gym office.

3). All jewelry must be removed and long hair tied back.

4). Appropriate conduct is to be expected at **ALL TIMES**!!!!

"Man, that's short," Sango huffed as Kagome read her locker number and combination and opened her locker. "I guess that means they trust us."

"Apparently so. Oh man," Kagome groaned as she pulled out a pair of cobalt blue track shorts in her size. "I hate shorts."

"You hate skirts too," Sango giggled and opened her locker as the other students trolled in. "Why is that?"

"I don't know," Kagome admitted as she shed her pants and folded them on the bench in the middle of the lockers. "I just do. They're uncomfortable."

"You're just crazy, that's all."

"Excuse me?"

Kagome and Sango looked up and smiled at the girl standing in front of Sango. "Yeah?" Kagome said.

"Is that locker 145?"

Sango looked over and nodded. "Yup, sure is."

"Thanks." She squeezed past Sango to the locker between her and Kagome, then smiled and said "Hi, I'm Kikyou."

"I'm Sango," Sango replied before gesturing to Kagome. "And that's Kagome."

"Hey."

"Nice to meet you."

"So," Sango said as she tugged the white t-shirt with 'Balamb Garden Cadet' written on the front in blue iron on letters. "You're new right?"

"Yup," Kikyou nodded as she opened her locker. "I've never been to a Garden before."

"Are you studying to be a SeeD?" Kagome asked and frowned at the white tennis shoes she found inside her locker. Kikyou nodded. "Yea, but I don't want to. I wanted to run my father's shop in Dollet. What about you guys?"

"My father wanted me to be a SeeD," Sango said as she tied her shoes and pulled her hair back. "It's not like he had to talk me into it though. He told me stories all the time about how great the SeeDs were and how powerful they were and stuff like that. I couldn't help but want to be one.

"What about you Kagome?" Kikyou asked as Kagome shut her locker. "Why are you here? Did you want to be a SeeD too?"

Kagome stood quietly for a moment, her head bowed slightly. "I didn't want to be a SeeD," she finally answered. "I didn't even want to come here. But I'm here now and that's what matters."

She walked away without another word, leaving Kikyou and Sango to exchange confused and worried glances behind her.

)-(

"Welcome to Weapons Assignment," the instructor, a tall blonde man dressed in a blue and red rugby shirt and a pair of denim jeans, greeted as he paced in front of Kagome. She stood at the front of the line, with Sango on one side and Shippou on the other. "I'm Instructor Dincht, but you guys can just call me Instructor Zell. Anyway, I'm your instructor for hand to hand combat, but I'm also here to make sure you guys get your weapons. You've got three weeks to decide what you want and stick with it. Until then, you can pretty much float from class to class until you see somethin' you like. Any questions?" He glanced over the cadets before him and pointed toward one near the far left side. "Yeah?"

"What weapons can we choose from Instructor Zell?" a girl with brown shaggy hair asked.

"There's four classes, but lots of weapons to choose from. There's hand to hand or close combat fighting; which is what I do, ancient weaponry, sniper and ballistics and the gunblade specialists, which is a mix of the ballistics and the ancient weaponry combined. Anything else? No?" He glanced from one end of the row to then other, then sighed and shook his head.

"Before I forget, I'm sure you've noticed the differences in your schedules now that you've begun training. From now on, the second part of your day will be spent here. The first hour and a half will be on close combat, which you have to learn whether you choose it as your weapon or not. The second hour and a half is whatever weapon you do choose. Choose wisely because after three weeks your stuck with it.

"And when you go back to your rooms, you'll notice that you have new room assignments. Most of you will be moving to dormitory D, which is where the coed dorms are. Any questions? Good. First thing you're going to learn is the salute. You salute whenever important people are nearby, like the headmaster or the president or something. This is the salute and you have to know it to become a SeeD."

He stopped moving quickly, his feet coming together with his heels clicked together. His left arm was slightly bent with his left palm resting against his thigh and his right hand raised to his forehead. "When you're in this position you can't move or make a sound until you're dismissed. Now this is attention, and your squad leaders will call it before you have to do it so always pay attention. Next is parade rest, which looks like this." He stepped to the left, his feet shoulder length apart as the back of his hands moved to rest against the small of his back.

"This is easy. You don't have to be so stiff with this one. You do still have to be quiet though until you're dismissed, so remember that. We'll work on the salute and parade rests first, then we'll begin with the defensive part of the training."

)-(

Kagome huffed and kicked her suitcase, already tired from both the long day of practice, having to move her things and moving from one end of the dorm to the other in search of her new room. 'Let's see here,' Kagome said to herself as she read the room assignment. 'Room 029-D...029-D...Oh! Here it is!' She opened to door, expecting the person inside to be a complete stranger. She peered inside the other room and giggled in excitement when Shippou's green eyes met hers.

"Shippou!"

"_You're _my roommate! Yay!" He latched on to her quickly. "I thought I would get a jerk or someth-"

"Kagome!" Inuyasha growled after flinging the door open. "I need to talk to you!"

"Looks like we have a jerk already," Kagome whispered and smiled when Shippou laughed before turning to Inuyasha. "Yes?"

"You ordered the wrong gloves!" He tossed the gloves at her and frowned, leaned against the doorframe and waited for her to say something. Kagome caught the gloves before they could slip from her hands and held them up.

"No way," Kagome said with a shake of her head. "I ordered a large! How'd you get smalls?

"I was hoping you could tell me," Inuyasha growled, then groaned and flopped down on a nearby chair. "There's no way I can give Sesshoumaru his gloves back now! He's gonna have a cow boy I tell ya!"

"I'm sorry Inuyasha," Kagome apologized. "I could've sworn I ordered large."

"What about the secretary in the office?" Shippou speculated as he jumped on the table in the middle of the room and sat down on the edge. "Could she have ordered the smalls?"

"You know what," Inuyasha said as he sat up and thought about it. "That's possible. Maybe she thought you wanted them Kagome, and ordered the size for you."

"Yeah, that would make sense," Kagome nodded. "But Inuyasha, what are we going to do about your gloves?"

"Well, since they're your size, how bout you keep them? I'll just have to order them this time. I bet they'll come in handy for something."

"Oh. Ok then." Kagome nodded and smiled as he left the room. "Thanks Inuyasha!"

"Your welcome ya brat!" she heard him yell from somewhere down the hallway. She set the left glove on the table and tried on the right one, her fingers sliding effortlessly into the smooth black leather and through the finger holes. She pulled on the right and tested them out by clenching and unclenching her hands.

"Wow," she said while Shippou looked through her backpack. "They're so soft."

"What's this Kagome?" Shippou asked as he pulled out her IBook. "Is this the I-Book thing Miroku was talking about?"

"Yup, that's it," Kagome nodded. She turned it on and motioned for him to set it down, then reached inside her pack for what looked like a laptop and plugged it to the IBook. "I need it for my homework. I was going to try to see if I could find any combat techniques in the database."

"What's that thing?" Shippou asked as Kagome opened the laptop and began typing. "What's it do? Is it a laptop?"

"Kind of," Kagome said as the images above the IBook began to change. "It's more like a virtual library. It can't do anything else, like email and instant message."

"Oh. Hey stop!" he called out when the image of a little girl dressed in a black gi appeared above the IBook. "What's that?"

"I don't know," Kagome told him as she typed in a few commands. She stopped at a video/audio file and pressed play, then watched as the little hologram began to move.

"This ancient style of fighting is called karate," the computer played as the figure jumped around. "This was popular in the years 1959-2049. Karate consists of equal strikes and blocks."

"Next," Shippou said once he got bored. Kagome clicked on an arrow on the laptop's screen and the scene changed again.

"What's on here anyway?" Shippou asked before she could click on the computer explanation.

"Um..." Kagome quickly searched for the library's ancient combat archives and rattled off the names as they appeared. "There's karate, kung fu, ninjitsu, kick-boxing-"

"What's that last one?" Shippou interrupted.

"It's kick-boxing. An ancient style that focused more on kicks than hits."

"Well let's see it."

Kagome quickly brought up the image. They watched as the figure flipped and kicked and found this style more interesting than the others she had mentioned. "Want to learn it?" Kagome asked. Shippou shrugged.

"I don't know. Can we learn it?'

"I'm sure Instructor Zell won't mind if we learn a little something on the side," Kagome said as she brought up the learning tutorial. "And it looks like fun."

"Yeah, it does look cool. Ok Kagome!" Shippou chirped with an eager grin. "If you're doin' it, I'm doin' it!"

V

Zell stood back and observed as the cadets trained around him, mentally making corrections to a wrong stance or a slightly off punch when he came to Kagome and Kikyou. The girls looked like twins(though he knew for a fact they were unrelated), with Kagome standing behind the large punching bag and holding it steady so Kikyou could practice her kicks. There were little differences, like Kikyou's calm nature to Kagome's excited one (he'd come to learn much about his pupils in the last week in a half), Kikyou's brown eyes to Kagome's electric blue-green and their subtle speech patterns. Kikyou's voice held the gentle twang one only heard from a Dollet native, while Kagome still had the gently rolled r's of Esthar.

'They seem to work well together, even though Cadet Higurashi is using a technique I've never seen before,' Zell though as Kagome and Kikyou switched places. Another girl, Cadet Almasy, approached them and the three laughed about something before Cadet Almasy moved along and Kagome began her practice. She kept her stance loose and was constantly moving from side to side, completely unlike the basic fighting technique he showed the class earlier in the previous week. 'She's learning something on the side,' he determined before glancing behind him as Shippou fell forward into a handstand and back kicked the punching bag.

'And she's teaching him. 'Why hasn't picked a weapon then? Is she waiting for the last moment? And....what's on her hands? Are those gunblade gloves....hmmmm...' Zell grinned then, an idea already taking shape as he called her to him.

"Cadet Higurashi!"

Kagome turned quickly, her thoughts fleeing her mind as she came to attention in front of him. "Yes sir," she said while he pulled a slip of paper from his pocket, grabbed a nearby book and began writing.

"I need you to take this to Headmaster Leonheart," he told her as he finished the note, folded it and handed it to her. "I need to know what he thinks about something."

"Alright then," Kagome said and turned toward the exit door when he stopped her.

"No, go this way," he said after pointing toward the weapons classrooms. "He teaches the gunblade classes this period."

"OK." Kagome left the gym, the sounds of her fellow classmates as they practiced quickly disappeared when the door closed behind her. 'Must be soundproof,' she said as she walked down the hallway toward the gunblade class. She read the weapons specialties beside each door she passed and sighed.

'Why can't I choose something?' she wondered as she continued along the dimly lit hallway. 'I mean, it can't be hard. Sango's going to do ballistics with Miroku, Inuyasha's got his gunblade, Kikyou's getting a whip. Even Shippou knows what he wants, but not me.' She opened the gunblade room and stopped as the sound of intense fighting pinned her to her spot. She watched as Inuyasha and another cadet with short brown hair charged each other. Sparks flew from the real gunblades in their hands and they rebounded off each other only for Inuyasha to attempt to strike again.

The human cadet quickly ducked and rolled to the side, barely avoiding Inuyasha's downward swing. The headmaster stopped them before Inuyasha could strike again and helped the cadet to his feet. "That was good Cadet Endo," he said. "However, you both need a lot of practice if you're going to catch up with First Cadet Endo."

Kagome glanced forward and found Sesshoumaru staring at her, golden eyes piercing into her very being. She glanced away quickly and found him looking somewhere else when she looked back.

"It's time for a break," the headmaster said as he flicked a piece of lint from the fur collar of his jacket. "Five minutes, then we begin again."

"Yes sir," the three said and snapped to attention as the headmaster left the room. They relaxed once the door closed and began to walk around. Kagome stepped to the side so Sesshoumaru could leave the room and huffed when he glared at her as he walked by.

"Rude much?" Kagome grunted as the brown haired cadet leaned against the wall beside her. "Did you say something?" he asked as he sheathed his gunblade and took it off.

"Oh, yeah but not to you," Kagome said with a laugh. He smiled in acceptance, strapped on the foam practice gunblade and shook her hand.

"Yeah, I kinda figured that. I'm Martine, but my friends call me Joseph."

"I'm Kagome."

"You're not here to join this class are you?" Joseph asked. Kagome shook her head. "No way. I don't even know what you guys do here."

"We work our tails off," he sighed as he propped against the wall and closed his eyes. "This class is hard. I mean, **_really hard_**."

"Really?" Kagome said as Inuyasha practiced in the middle of the room. "It doesn't look hard."

Joseph opened an eye to watch Inuyasha and snorted. "Yeah, that's because he's youkai. This class is brutal. Headmaster Leonheart is relentless. He's such a perfectionist. You know we _have_ to wear our practice blades around school?"

"Why?"

"To torture us," Joseph sighed. "I'm tired frankly. I think I'm gonna quit."

"Quit?" Kagome repeated. "Are you sure?"

"Yup. As a matter of fact...." He unsnapped the gunblade and handed it to her, then opened the door to the hallway outside. "I quit right now. Could you tell Headmaster for me?"

"But-I-Well-"

"Thanks." She stood there and stared at the empty space he once occupied then turned around when the headmaster reappeared beside her.

"Are you here for something cadet?" he asked as Kagome snapped to attention.

"Yes sir. I'm here to give you a message sir," Kagome responded as she handed him the note Zell gave her. The headmaster read over it, his fingers tightening on the edges of the paper slightly before sighing heavily and shoving the note in his pocket. 'Of course he'd push this on me. Damn it Zell, why couldn't you have handled this yourself? Well, I may as well do something.' He glanced at Kagome and found her still at attention, a sheathed practice blade hanging from her left hand.

"At ease cadet." He waited until she situated herself, then pointed toward the gunblade in her hands. "Where did you get that?"

"Oh, this?" Kagome said as she held it up, then blushed and held it toward the headmaster. "This was Joseph's. He told me to tell you he quit."

"I see. Hmnh. He didn't have any business in here if he couldn't tell me he wanted to leave. What's your name?"

"Kagome Higurashi sir."

"Cadet Higurashi..." He nodded to himself, then glanced back at her hands. "Where did you get gunblade gloves in your size?"

"Um..."

"That's my fault Headmaster," Inuyasha said as Sesshoumaru walked back into the room. "I forgot to order my gloves and she tried to but the office thought she was ordering them for herself. I just went ahead and gave them to her and ordered another pair."

"Oh." The headmaster nodded in understanding and glanced at Kagome. "Cadet Higurashi, unsheath that gunblade."

"Huh?" Kagome stammered in surprise. The headmaster only smiled and repeated himself. "Cadet Endo," he said as he looked to Inuyasha. "Help her put it on, then show her how to unsheath it."

"Yes sir." Inuyasha helped her quickly, showing her the tiny metal snaps that held the gunblade in place around her hips before snapping it in place. Another strip of cloth held the gunblade inside the holster-saya. Inuyasha unsnapped it and demonstrated before Kagome attempted it herself. The styrofoam came out easy enough but holding the mammoth weapon was harder than she thought it would be. She tightly gripped the handle with both hands, her feet instinctively spreading apart to shoulder length as she squared her shoulders and held the blade out parallel with the floor.

"Raise it up Kagome," Inuyasha said as he slowly held his up. She watched him and struggled to do as he did. The blade rose slowly but surely, with the orange foam tip a little away from pointing to the ceiling when she finished.

"That was hard," Kagome huffed with a laugh. "Man, no wonder you guys complain. These things are heavy."

"Complain about what?"

Kagome blinked, then blushed as she remembered what Joseph said about the headmaster's training. "It's nothin-"

"You're talking about the complaints about having to equip the practice weapons aren't you?" the headmaster asked and brushed Kagome's apology aside. "There's a reason for that isn't there First Cadet Endo?"

"Yes sir," Sesshoumaru said with a slight nod. "We wear them so our legs get stronger."

"And since our left leg is constantly weighed down, we have to wear weights on our right leg," Inuyasha said as he pulled up his pantleg. A black band was strapped to his wrist and Kagome could see the small weight inside.

"Cadet Higurashi, I have a deal for you," Headmaster Leonheart said after ordering her and Inuyasha to sheath their blades. "I want you to take this course."

"But why?" Kagome asked as Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru exchanged questioning gazes. "I don't know a thing about gunblades except for what Inuyasha's told me."

"I won't lie to you, it's hard," the headmaster explained. "You have to learn both how to attack with the sword part of it, and you have to learn when to shoot in the middle of a strike. But you like it don't you?"

"Yes but-"

"Then try it for two weeks. I'm well aware that the trial period is nearly over and I'm willing to extend yours if you try it for two weeks."

"Well...I don't know..." Kagome hesitated. The headmaster nodded. "I don't blame you. You'd have to wear pants-"

"I'll do it!"

"Great," he said after getting over the initial shock of her enthusiasm. "Then report back to Instructor Dincht and let him know that you're going to need to be fitted for the pants. You need a pair of steel toed boots too. Can you remember that?"

"Yes sir."

"Good. You're dismissed." The headmaster, Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru watched her leave, her excitement so overwhelming she never realized that the gunblade was still strapped to her side.

"Headmaster, are you sure this is a good idea?" Sesshoumaru asked as he exchanged his gunblade for one of the practice ones.

"Why?" the headmaster asked. "What makes you say that?"

"Well, Kagome's so small," Inuyasha said next. "She's....delicate....she's-"

"A girl," Sesshoumaru cut to the chase. "If she were a youkai female, we wouldn't question it but she's human. Human females tend to be weaker than the males of the species."

"Don't ever let them hear you say that First Cadet," the headmaster joked before tapping his chin. "I think it's a good idea though," he said finally.

"A lot of people won't like it," Inuyasha told him. "Especially the guys. They'll give her trouble if they can."

"I'm sure they will. She'll be the first female to attempt the gunblade. I personally hope she keeps it."

"You're an equal opportunist Headmaster," Sesshoumaru quipped flippantly. "I doubt she'll last a week."

"I don't know," Inuyasha said. "I mean, Kagome's pretty pig-headed when she wants to be. I think she can do it."

"Of course you do," Sesshoumaru said as Kagome entered the room and the headmaster approached her. "You're partly human, so you would cheer for them, as weak as they are."

"Kagome's not weak," Inuyasha retorted and remembered the way Kagome handled Kouga while Sesshoumaru walked away. "Nope, Kagome's not weak," he said to himself and grinned when she waved to him. "I don't know what it is, but I get the feeling that Kagome may prove you wrong Fluffy-butt."

VI

Kouga's eyes glazed over, perfect and absolute boredom shining in their depths as he twirled his pencil between his fingers. 'This class is so pointless,' he growled as Instructor Trepe lectured on the importance of proper junctioning...or something like that. Kouga wasn't exactly sure.

He glanced over at his desk partner and shook his head. His partner's head was turned away from him, braided sliver hair neatly coiled on the desk's surface as the slight scratching of his pencil caught Kouga's attention. The pencil stilled and his ears twitched once as Kouga stared.

"What is it?" Sesshoumaru whispered irritably.

"Where're your guards?" Kouga asked with a quick glance to make sure their conversation wasn't bothering the rest of the class. "I know your pop's got em around here somewhere."

"I have no need for guards, unlike certain youkai."

"But you're a prince," Kouga insisted a tad louder than he meant to. "You're supposed to have guards around you!"

"First Cadet Bravaldi?"

"Crud," Kouga growled before answering.

"Stand up and demonstrate a Fira spell."

"O...k..." Kouga stood up quickly and did as she asked. He clapped once and was instantly rewarded with a small ball of flame the size of a golf ball. "There ya go."

"That's not Fira," Instructor Trepe said with a shake of her head. "Nice try though. First Cadet Endo, would _you_ mind showing us a Fira demonstration?"

Sesshoumaru said nothing, but gracefully rose to his feet and moved away from his desk to the middle of the empty aisle. He held out his right hand, snapped the fingers of his left and watched as a fireball the size of a basketball formed in the palm of his outstretched hand.

"Well done First Cadet Endo," Instructor Trepe congratulated before motioning for him to take his seat. "I'm sure you've all heard the rumors about the SeeD test being a month early and ...they will be. As a matter of fact, you should expect to take them after Parent/ Teacher Day next Tuesday.

"Before then, you should study your junctioning and get to know you're beginning GFs. Those that still don't have a GF should stay after class and I'll equipt you with one. Class dismissed."

Kouga stood and turned to introduce himself to Sesshoumaru, then frowned when he found the inu youkai gone. 'I can't believe he just left me,' he growled as he grabbed his bookbag and followed Sesshoumaru's scent to the hallway. He quickly caught up with him just as he turned the corner toward the gym. "Hey, you could have waited on me."

He frowned again when Sesshoumaru ignored him, his eyes firmly attached to the notes in his hand. "You know, I don't see why we have to listen to those humans anyway," Kouga continued. "After all, it's not like they could tell us anything. Shit, we could take this school over if we wanted to." Kouga's temper riled when Sesshoumaru refused his attempts at conversation. He decided to change tactics, going from idle chitchat to more...interesting conversation.

"You know," Kouga began causally, his hands slipping into his pockets as he casually strolled along beside Sesshoumaru. "There's been some talk about you. Youkai are saying that the Endo family isn't as powerful as it once was. That the youngest of the tribe are...less powerful than they should be."

"Let them talk," Sesshoumaru finally muttered, though his tone was completely uninterested as he mulled over a certain passage in his writings. "This Sesshoumaru doesn't pay attention to gossiping fools."

Kouga bristled slightly at that. "You have to admit Sesshoumaru," he continued. "Between you and Inuyasha, things don't look good. Inuyasha's just a hanyou and you..." Kouga snickered darkly and shook his head, unaware of how still Sesshoumaru had become. "Well, no one's seen you fight, no less change into your youkai form. I for one don't think you can do it."

"Is that so..."

Kouga opened his mouth to answer, but gasped when a sharp pain began behind his eyes. Kouga grasped his head as the pain strengthened to a blinding, agonizing intensity that left him quivering and speechless. He fell to his knees behind Sesshoumaru, who never bothered to turn around as a soft whine began at the back of Kouga's throat.

"I consider myself a patient person wolf," Sesshoumaru growled, his head still facing forward as the other students began to stop and look after Kouga. "But I will only tell you this once. I don't care what you think of me. You're opinion means little to nothing. If you ever challenge me in such a way again I will personally insure that you're life will be much shorter than you expected."

Kouga watched through bleary eyes as he walked away, leaving him in the middle of the concerned students. His head throbbed one final time, then the pain disappeared almost as quickly as it had come. Kouga stood on wobbly feet, his hand resting heavily on another student's shoulder as he glared at the place Sesshoumaru once stood. He finally began to stumble down the hallway, pausing a moment to thank the student that helped him up while indignant anger died down to a sudden awareness.

'Sesshoumaru's a psychic,' he realized as the blood drained from his face. 'How come nobody told me? Man...if he can cause that much pain without even thinking about it, then what kind of damage can he do when he **wants** to...he may be more dangerous than I thought.'

VII

Kagome stood against the wall, her right leg bent with her foot against the wall. She sniffed the cup of punch in her hand as she observed the gathering around her. 'I'm so glad Sango 'talked' Miroku out of spiking this stuff,' Kagome smiled as she remembered the rather painful bump the young man was walking around with as a result of that conversation. She sighed and listened to the conversation around her as she ran a hand through her shortened hair.

She had practically begged Sango to cut it a week earlier, ignoring the older girl's pleas to keep her long hair in favor of the pixie cut she now sported with comfort. To her surprise, Inuyasha agreed with her decision and found out that everyone that began gunblade training cut their hair in order to train without the risk of being blinded. Personally, she liked the look, even though she felt it only added to the confusion around her.

Since deciding to stay in gunblade training, every male in the Garden decided that she was Public Enemy No. 1. She was constantly teased and taunted, and not only did she have to ignore the teasing but she had to keep Inuyasha and the others from hurting someone in the process. The girls of the Garden supported her and soon Kagome found herself in the middle of a middle school age War of the Sexes.

'At least it's quiet her-'

"Kagome!"

Kagome whipped around quickly, stumbling slightly from the gunblade's adjustment to the movement and found herself crushed to Sango's mother's chest. "Hi Mrs. Almasy," Kagome mumbled as the large older woman squeezed her like a lemon. "How are you?"

"I'm fine darlin', fine. Have you seen my Sango-baby? We're supposed to meet her English teacher soon."

"Sango may be over there," Kagome said as she pointed toward the other side of the room. "That's where the others are."

"Oh. Alright then. Thank you dear." Kagome held still so Mrs. Almsay could pinch her cheeks and pat her head, then sighed in relief when she walked away. She looked to her right and found her parents talking to the headmaster. She grimaced when her father waved at her, and quickly threw her cup away and left the gathering before they could get the chance to talk to her.

'I've had enough of that anyway,' Kagome said to herself as she entered the elevator and pushed the button for the second floor. She stepped back when another body slid in at the last second and grinned in surprise when Souta gave her a hug.

"Hey Kagome!" he said as she hugged him back. "Where you goin'? I thought everyone was supposed to be at the party."

"They are, and I _was_ at the party," Kagome said as she ruffled his hair. "Besides, would I pass up the chance to talk to my favorite little brother."

"I'm your only little brother," Souta reminded her before the elevator stopped. He followed Kagome out and into the commons, his eyes latched on the practice weapon strapped to her waist. "Is that a _real _gunblade?"

"No way," Kagome shook her head. "I don't get a real one until next year."

"Oh. Are you really going to be a gunblade specialist?" Souta asked next.

"No, I'm going to be a hostage negotiator. I just use a gunblade. Besides," Kagome sighed as they stopped in front of the fountain in the center of the commons and leaned against it's wall. "I don't want to just fight people. I want to save them too."

"Like Superman?"

"Yeah," Kagome nodded as she ruffled his hair again and kissed his forehead. "I want to be just like him."

"Are you coming home for the summer?" Souta asked, then quieted when Kagome shook her head. "I don't think so," she said as they began walking again. "I don't think I should."

"They miss you," Souta replied softly. "You know, Mom and Dad. They miss you. They're always talking about you."

"Yeah, I'm sure they do...."

Souta followed a little behind her and frowned at the little tear that rolled down her cheek. "Hey, I know!" he exclaimed suddenly. "Why don't you show me your gunblade?!"

"I can't just show this thing off," Kagome disagreed. "I mean, I'd get into big trouble if I did!"

"But you won't be showing off," Souta whined insistently. "I just want to see!!! Please?" Kagome groaned at the puppy eyed look on his face, knowing that she'd never be able to resist it. She finally relented and grabbed his hand.

"Where are we going?" he asked as they turned the corner toward a hallway marked in green tiles.

"We're going to the training center. That way I can't get in trouble for un-sheathing it."

"Cool!" Souta exclaimed and softly apologized when Kagome shushed him. Together they passed the giant metallic doors to the training center. They broke out into a sweat instantly, the heat used to maintain the plant and animal life inside giving the place a tropical feel. They continued down a short pathway to the training center square where Kagome stopped them before they could venture further.

"OK, here goes. Take a seat over there Souta," Kagome said as she pointed toward a large boulder near a door on the right hand side of the clearing. She waited until he was safely back to unsnap and un-sheath the orange foam weapon, the weights melded inside rubbing against each other as she set herself in a ready position. "What'd you think?" Kagome asked and grinned when he cheered.

"I think you're _cool!!!!_!" he told her. "I can't wait to tell the guys at school that my sister has a gunblade!!!! I'm going to be the most popular kid in school!!!!"

"Um, that's good to know," Kagome replied before taking a few controlled swings. The weight of the weapon was becoming easier to handle with each day and she found she could swing it a little faster than she could two weeks ago. "I think I'm getting the hang of this," she said to herself. She slowly raised it until she glared over it, the blade itself parallel with her face and her hands raised at her right side.

"I'm going to draw you when I get home," Souta promised as she let it slice through the air to her right side. "And I'm going to send it to you ok?"

"Fine by me," Kagome huffed in exertion. "I'd love a pic-"

**RRRRrrrrrrrrrrrr!**

"W-w-what's that?" Souta stammered nervously. Kagome shrugged, then squeaked when the floor beneath their feet began to rumble. Souta quickly sprinted to her side and allowed Kagome to lead him toward the exit. Another roar sounded and an enormous dinosar-like monster landed in the middle of their path. The creature stood well above the treetops, with rows upon rows of sharp teeth inside it's box-like head. It glared down at them with beady eyes, the red scales on it's hide rippling as it moved closer to them.

"What's that Kagome?" Souta whimpered.

"I don't know. Hold on." She slowly reached for the Scan card in her pocket, her eyes still on the creature as she kissed her fingers and read it's chart.

T-rexaur: Weakness: Ice

It's better to run if you encounter one.

'Well that we can't do,' Kagome thought as she struggled for a way to get her brother away from it. "Souta?"

"Yeah?"

"When I say run, you run ok?"

"OK," he sniffed, tears already streaming down his face as the monster stared at them with hungry eyes. "Kagome?"

"Yeah Souta?"

"I want Daddy."

"I know kid," she whispered. "I know." She shoved him into a nearby bush quickly, then waved her arms and ran toward the middle of the clearing. "Hey!" she shouted before picking up a rock and throwing it at the dinosaur. "You want something to eat! Come on! Dinner time you ugly old fossil!

Souta sat up and watched horrified as the T-rexuar turned his back on him and followed Kagome. "Go on Souta," she shouted before the creature roared. "Run!"

Souta stood up and tripped over a root before racing for the pathway to the door. The noise attracted the monster, who whipped around and began to chase him. A thick wall of ice appeared between it and Souta and the monster roared again before turning back to Kagome.

"You leave him alone!" she shouted angrily. She jumped when her back connected with cold steel before she pushed the button to open the door. "Come on! Come get it!"

The T-rexuar charged toward her, it's large head lowered like a battering ram as Kagome slipped through the door and pushed the button to close it. She stumbled backward when it hit, the force rocketing her three feet from the door to the broken stones at the base of an overturned tree. 'There,' she said as she dusted herself off and stood up. 'He can't get through that, so I'm just gonna-' She screamed when it leaped over the doorframe itself and ran before it could catch up to her.

'All I have to do is make it to the secret area at the back,' Kagome told herself as she jumped over a steel rod in the middle of the worn dirt path. 'I know it won't be able to get out then. I'll just have to climb down from the balcony or something, that's all.'

)-(

Souta watched as the dinosaur jumped over the door, his round face paling at the scream Kagome didn't know she released. 'Kagome's in trouble,' he said to himself as he sat down against a nearby tree trunk and began to cry. 'I got her in trouble. She's going to get eaten because of me.' He sobbed quietly, fearful of whatever else was hidden deep within the room. He jumped when the nearby door opened and watched as another cadet walked out of the right hand door. Souta saw the long silver hair and ran toward him, thinking that the cadet was the hanyou he so idolized.

"Inuyasha, you've gotta help!" he begged as he tugged on the end of his jacket. "Please! She's in trouble and-"

"What makes you think I'm Inuyasha?" Sesshoumaru growled as he shoved the boy away. "I'm not that filthy halfbreed."

"Oh," Souta muttered dejectedly. "But you'll help her right?" He started to cry again, bombarded by images of Kagome sliding down the monster's throat. "You have to help her. She's gonna get hurt."

"What are you doing in here anyway?" Sesshoumaru asked as he jerked Souta to his feet. "You're supposed to be at the party upstairs."

"I know but my sister left and I followed her and I begged to see her gunblade so she brought me here and-"

"You're sister's a specialist?" Sesshoumaru interrupted, then frowned when the scent of water lilies finally reached his nose. "Where is she? What happened?"

"This big red dinosaur came from nowhere and tried to eat us! She told me to run and I did but I saw it follow her behind that door!" He pointed toward the left hand door and whimpered miserably. "I heard her scream! She's scared! Please help my sister!"

Sesshoumaru gave a mental sigh, then grabbed the boy by his collar and dragged him back to the training center entrance. "You stay right here," he ordered. "I will return. If anything comes near that you do not recognize, go out into the hallway and wait."

"OK," Souta nodded meekly. Sesshoumaru un-sheathed his gunblade and stalked toward the left hand door, his ears finely tuned toward any unusual sound as he stood there silently. 'Blasted girl,' he growled to himself before the sound of her heartbeat and slight muttering reached him. He thought better of running and decided to take to the air instead. He rode the little pink cloud beneath his feet toward the very rear of the training center and found Kagome waist-deep in swamp water with the T-rexuar closing in on her.

"There's got to be a water pipe or something that I can get into," Kagome said to herself as she searched but found nothing but wall behind her. She turned toward the T-rexuar hesitantly, her mind solely on her brother as the monster stood above her and snarled. 'Well, I tried,' she though. 'Souta's ok, and that's what matters.' She braced herself and shut her eyes when it opened it's mouth, but opened them again when a strong wind blew between them.

She looked up just as Sesshoumaru landed in front of her, his gunblade poised and ready as the monster roared indignantly at being interrupted. It bared down on him next and him instantly countered with a quick snap of his fingers. A pillar of ice speared through the dinosaur's middle, giving Sesshoumaru enough time to slice through the creature's exposed belly.

It swiped toward the inu youkai, who quickly dodged and cleaved off the offending claw with one deft stroke. Kagome watched in awe as they fought, making sure to stay out of the way. Sesshoumaru jumped to avoid the dinosaur's gigantic tail, completely unaware of the claw fast approaching him from the other side.

"Sesshoumaru, look out!"

He turned quickly and braced himself for a blow that was too fast for him to avoid when a large chunk of ice materialized above the monster's head and clocked it between the eyes. It howled and stumbled backward, it's only remaining hand pawing the resulting ice away from it's eyes. Sesshoumaru plunged his gunblade into the T-rexuar before it could recover, then allowed his poison to drip down the blade to the wound.

He grabbed Kagome by the back of her pants and dropped her onto his cloud before making his way back to the training center entrance where Souta sat waiting.

"Kagome!" he said before launching himself at her. "I was so worried about you!"

"I'm fine," Kagome assured him with a smile. "See? Sesshoumaru saved me. Sesshoumaru, this is my brother So-"

"We need to talk," he growled between clenched teeth. "Now."

"OK...um, Souta. You go back to the party ok? I'll be there in a minute."

"OK Kagome," he readily agreed. "And don't worry, I won't tell anyone."

"Thanks!" She waited until he left to turn to Sesshoumaru, her hands on her hips and her eyes nearly emerald in her anger. "What's the matter with yo-Hey!" she shouted when he grabbed her arm and dragged her out of the training center. "Let go of me!" She winced when he shoved her against the closest wall, her head knocking against the bricks behind her as he glared down at her.

"What's your problem?" she hissed.

"And here I thought you were somewhat smarter than the other human females," Sesshoumaru growled in disgust. "I guess I was wrong."

"What are you talking about? OW!" she cried out when he shoved her again and her head hit the same familiar bricks. "Stop it! What do you think you're doing anyway?"

"I'm _trying_ to knock some sense into you!" he hissed, his fangs lengthening slightly when she returned his glare. "Do you know how **stupid** it was to go in there with a _practice blade_? Or did you forget that there were real monsters running around?"

"I-"

"And not only that but you bring a civilian, a **child** with you. What were you thinking?"

"Um..." Kagome's head lowered in shame. "You're right. I wasn't thinking."

"I know."

"Hey!" Kagome shouted as he released her arm. "Couldn't you try to be a little less of a jerk here? I was almost eaten you know!"

"Yes I do know and again, I thought you were smarter than that." He sighed and collected himself, shoving away the little voice in the back of his head that wondered why he was so riled up in the first place. He stepped back from her, his golden eyes once again calm. "I'll allow this to slide, but pull this again and I'll make sure you never handle a gunblade again."

"You can't do that!" Kagome protested when he began to walk away. "You don't have any authority over me Sesshoumaru!"

"On the contrary, I do," Sesshoumaru answered her without stopping. "I'm four years older than you and come tomorrow I'm going to be a SeeD. I tell you what to do and you'll do it if you ever want me to consider saving you again."

"I don't need you Sesshoumaru!" Kagome shot back. An animalistic growl ripped from her throat when he finally disappeared, her green eyes narrowing into slits and her fists balled at her sides.

"You'll see," she whispered. "I don't need you to save me. From now on, I'm going to save myself."

(End Chapter)

Yeah, I know. Kagome's going through some mega changes. Come on people, she's a teenager! She's allowed to be a little strange. Don't worry though, because puberty and things are over in the next chapter and the **real** plot of the story begins to develop afterward. And for those of you that suggested that Kagome wield a gunblade...here you go! Hope you're happy! Me personally, I think it's pretty cool too. I'm glad you guys suggested it. I was going to stick her with double katana or something.

Let me know if you have any questions about **ANYTHING** and I'll be sure to answer them. Oh...wait a second. Here it is! The preview to the next chapter.

Sesshoumaru: How long has it been since I passed my SeeD test....three, maybe four years? Since then I've traveled the world, receiving and completing missions as they were given to me. For now I have a squad leader (the incompetent human) and though I do resent having to follow his orders I know that in order to lead one must follow for a time. And now I'm on my way back to Garden to receive yet another assignment....

Never would I have expected to find a little vixen on the roadside...

Chapter Four: A Near Fatality and The Bet

Responses:

Fire Phoenix: Yeah, I thought that was funny too. I don't think he did though. He quit speaking to me for a week. I wonder that too. Would it be a deep growl or would it be some high-pitched, sissy screech that would break glass in Africa. Hmmmm...I guess that'll just be one of the many mysteries in anime. Thanks for the review!

Angeltiger: Kagome's a very special girl in this fic. There are reasons that her eyes do that funny thing, and her parents sent her away. As a matter of fact, most of the problems Kagome's going to have in life are going to be because of this very same thing. But at least she gets to aggravate the living saints out of Sesshou. Thanks for the review!

Choyan: I love the game too. I'm trying to get a hold of FFX-2! I feel so bad for my beta. That's all I've been talking about since I started this fic.

Mayukagurl: Thanks for the review!

busoshwe: I know it. That's all I could think about after you said it. But yeah, Headmaster Leonheart is in this chapter. He'll be around a lot more in the coming chapters too. I thought it was interesting too when I first heard the idea. When RPG-girl took her story off I just had to see if I could do one. Kagome's becoming more social, but she's still wary of her parents and people she doesn't know.

Kagome: What was I supposed to watch? It didn't post the link. Maybe you should send it to my email. And YOU LEFT ME WITH HIM!!!! (Clutches bald tail) Just look what he did to me! (Sob)

Yume no Zencho: I know but I think that's the way the game is. Squall's a pretty angsty guy. (I love him anyway though) yup, this is going to be another S/K story. I do have an S/K/I in the planning, but I'm not even going to try to start it until one of the other stories is finished.

Row: Yup, it's no. 5. I don't know what's wrong with me. I'm working on endings as we speak and the story that's the closest to ending is ALIGD. I think it's going to be twenty-three chapters. I'm not going any farther than twenty- five.

Skitzoflame: (Evil grin here)Now what makes you say such a terrible thing? (Wink)

Leira,Frooky: lol. Good point there. I'm surprised that smoke doesn't trail along behind him. Thanks for the review!

Hiraikotsu Slinger: If you were a betting girly, you'd be rolling in dough right about now.

jadedbeauty: (Blush) Thanks a lot. I've found that that game is EVERYONE'S favorite. I love it to pieces. I've beaten it three times already. Don't cry. I'm going to update this story until December 1. That's when Second Chance and A Role Reversal will be updated. What's the name of your story?

SkyBlueSunShine: I know. I want to learn it too...but I don't think that would be the wisest idea. Temper's too bad and ex's would just freeze or burst into flame in the middle of the street.

Thesta: Um...did I say Seifer and Fujin were married? I'm sorry if I did, but they're not. Sango's mom is someone different. They're going to get into that in the fifth chapter. Kagome can but she's not connected to any of the sorceresses in the game. You'll just have to wait and see. (Mischievous smile)


	4. A Near Fatility and The Bet

Disclaimer: No, I don't own it. So there! You guys can't sue now! Oh, and this chapter starts a little differently. There's no letter to Souta, but there is something interesting all the same. Don't worry. You'll come to realize how many years have passed as the story goes on. Oh, and the names of the gunblades are due to the hard work of my beta Tessa3. So everyone give the girl her props already!

Chapter Three: A Near Fatality and The Bet

I

He sat at his desk, glacial blue eyes bored beyond comprehension as he stared out his office window at a flock of seagulls flying past. He followed them wistfully, remembering days when he too flew where he wanted at will. 'Well, it was sorta like will,' he smirked as the bell on the elevator in the hallway outside rang out. He gathered the documents before him and attempted to appear to be busy as the office doors opened.

"Hey Squall," Zell called out as he burst into the room. "Quit pretendin' and take a look at these!"

'There went that idea,' Squall commented and winced when Zell slapped a large stack of files on his desk. "What's this?" he asked as he removed the rubber band holding them together and began to read the first file.

"It's the candidates for the SeeD exam this year. Oh and this-" Another set of files plopped down on the antique desk with a thump, this set bound with a blue rubber band instead of red. "These are the candidates for the four year SeeD evaluation."

Squall sighed tiredly and glanced from one stack to another before grasping one of the evaluation files. "Let's see..." He tossed Zell the file and leaned back in his seat, patiently waiting on Zell to do the same in one of the chairs on the other side of the desk and read aloud the file in front of him.

"Right. I remember this guy!

Name: Endo, Sesshoumaru (2nd class)

Age: 21 human years

Height: 7' 2"

Class: Gunblade Rank 27

Station: Clearance, Galbadia (twenty miles west of Timber)

Squad Leader: O. Nobunaga

"You remember him too right?"

"Yeah, I do," Squall said with a nod. "What does his squad leader say about him?"

"Um...well, he's on the phone. Why not ask him?"

Squall looked down at the light flashing on the phone, shook his head and pressed it and the speaker phone button to answer. "Captain Nobunaga?

"Hello headmaster," the captain's voice called out. "How are you this morning?"

"I've been better," Squall growled slightly and shot a pointed glare at Zell. Zell ignored it happily, the grin on his face widening with each second. "But you have something to tell me about someone with you."

"Oh yeah, Sesshoumaru," Nobunaga said after a moment. "I guess I should get straight to the point. He's not a bad warrior. We normally have him as back up just in case a mission goes south."

"I get it," Zell said as he continued to read the file. "Its because he's the only youkai with you guys right?"

"That's right. He doesn't exactly mind, so we don't do it any differently. There is one thing though."

"What?" Squall inquired.

"Well...you can tell he doesn't like humans," Nobunaga said finally. "I mean, he's not snarling, growling and just outright rude, but he's not the kind of guy that you'd expect to join you at the campfire and exchange battle stories."

"I figured that," Squall muttered. "Anything else?"

"Just that sometimes he disagrees with our battle plans," Nobunaga replied. "I mean, his father is Ambassador Sigumi Endo so there's no doubt that Sesshoumaru has some knowledge in war strategy. However, when he disagrees with us he doesn't force us to go with his plan. When it goes south, he just does whatever it is that he does and the mission succeeds." He laughed then and said, "Hey, the people we've arrested even have a name for him."

"Really?" Zell asked, instantly interested. "What is it?"

Nobunaga laughed a little longer before saying, "They call him 'GoldenEye'."

"That is funny," Zell snickered. "Why?"

"They say that's all you see before he clocks you. That's why we've had so many brutality charges. Is that all Headmaster?"

"Yes, that's all."

"Alright then. I've gotta report back."

"Thanks Captain. I'll be in touch." Squall hung up and glanced at Zell. "So?"

"So what?" Zell countered. "I like the way the guy sounds."

"You would," Squall replied, but drummed his fingers against the desk's cherry wood surface. "But I agree."

"You do? Dude, since when?!"

"Since now," Squall retorted before grabbing another file. "I say make him a candidate. Make sure he's here for next month's SeeD exam."

II

He stepped off the train, his duffle bag at his feet and a black umbrella in his left hand. He made quite the contrasting picture, dressed in a pair of black dress pants, a coffee turtleneck and a black wool peacoat that settled at his lower thigh. The last three buttons of his coat were unbuttoned, leaving room to quickly reach the gunblade inside if he had to. The wind from one of the departing trains whipped the silver ponytail trailing down his back to flutter against the back of his knees.

'This place still looks the same,' he thought as he took a quick sniff. 'Smells like it too. It's good that some things do not change.'

"Thanks for riding with us," the conductor said. "Hope to see you again mister...."

"Endo," Sesshoumaru answered.

"Ah, Ambassador Endo. If I had known it was you I would have arranged fo-"

"I'm not the Ambassador," Sesshoumaru said before bending over to pick up his duffle bag. "He's my father."

"Oh, excuse me then. Hope to see you soon Mr. Endo."

"You most likely will," Sesshoumaru remarked as he left the station. He glanced around the town itself, his gaze falling on the items shop beside the train station. 'This town has always made sense,' he thought as he stepped up to the counter. He waited patiently for the sales girl and found her fully engrossed in some teen magazine with the latest boy band on the cover.

"Excuse me," he said as he rang the little hand bell.

"Yeah, welcome to Balamb Item Shop," the girl said, still involved in her book. "Can I help you?"

'You could look up for one,' Sesshoumaru commented drily, but decided to let it slide as he looked at the items list on the side of the shop. "I require...three potions and two phoenix downs."

"Sure, hold on a sec." She stood up and ambled around the shop, blonde pigtails brushing against the pages of the book. She fumbled for the things he requested, bottles of potions and other remedies clicking haphazardly against each other before finally filling out his order. "Let's see now," she mumbled as she rang up his total. "Three potions and two phoenix downs. That'll be...1300 gil."

Sesshoumaru handed over the bills without complaint, his hand momentarily brushing against hers when she accepted the currency. She glanced up at the contact and openly stared, her brown eyes wide as he waited for her to finish his order. "Is there a problem?" he asked after a few minutes of silence.

"Um...no, not at all," she said as she shook her head and handed back his change. "Here you go sir. Have a great day."

Sesshoumaru merely quirked a brow, grabbed his purchases and left, a slight smirk gracing his features as he felt her eyes bore into his back. 'At least she's out of her book,' he commented to himself. He stopped at the nearest trash can, put the items in the small items pouch attached to his belt and tossed the brown paper bag into the trash can. He set his duffle bag on top of the trash can, searched inside for a black ammunition holder and strapped that to his right thigh before closing the bag and continuing toward the town entrance and the auto rental.

"Hey man," the mechanic drawled as Sesshoumaru approached the counter. "How's it hangin'?"

"I need a car," Sesshoumaru answered instead. "Today preferably."

"Yeah man, whatever you need. We've got classics and sports....well, we had em anyway. We've only got one left." He pointed around the corner toward a royal blue car riddled with dents and a missing fender. 'At least the roof's intact,' Sesshoumaru remarked irritably. "I'll take it."

"Right....Well here's the keys. Don't worry about gas though. There's enough in the tank to take you all around this island four times if you wanted to."

"That's not necessary," Sesshoumaru said as he pocketed the keys. "I'm only going to the Garden."

"Balamb Garden?" The mechanic grinned when Sesshoumaru nodded. "Hey man, it's your lucky day then! We've got this really stellar deal for Garden students and stuff. It's great. You should check it out."

"What is it?" Sesshoumaru asked the surfer reject. "And do try to be quick. It's going to rain soon."

"Yeah. Well....um....what was that deal again?" Sesshoumaru fought the urge to sigh, deciding instead to forgo the deal when the ditzy mechanic remembered what he was trying to say. "Yeah man. All you got to do is show us your dog tags and we, like, take off 500 gil. I ain't gotta touch em or nuthin. I just gotta see em."

'What a deal,' Sesshoumaru thought sarcastically. 'Never mind that renting the rust bucket is going to be 2500 gil. May as well though. At least this time will have been wasted on _something_ productive.' He reached for the silver chain hanging around his neck and held it up so the mechanic could see the two metallic ovals with his name, date of birth, height and weapon class stamped on the front.

"Cool man. Here ya go." He refunded Sesshoumaru's 500 gil and waved as he walked away. "Hey man, are you gonna return it or do you need someone to come and get it for you?"

"It shall be returned within the week," Sesshoumaru answered as he unlocked the driver's side door. He tossed the duffle bag and umbrella in the back then sat behind the wheel just as the first of many fat raindrops began to fall from the sky. He pulled out of the auto garage cautiously, ignoring the wave the mechanic gave him as he drove out of the city and began his way toward the Garden.

He soon found himself wondering about what was going on and why he had been called back after so many years. He unbuttoned the rest of his coat and left it open, his ears twitching slightly at the rattling coming from the engine. 'I'll have to look at it once I get to the Garden,' he told himself, then winced as a loud explosion went off outside the car. He glanced into a forest at the left and watched as a large fireball disintegrated in the rain, with a loud roar following soon afterward.

He stopped the car, grabbed his umbrella and stepped out, the umbrella held over his head as he stared into the forest. He could see nothing inside the forest despite his youkai vision but he could plainly hear the roars of multiple monsters. 'Perhaps this requires some investigating,' he thought as he pulled the keys out the ignition, put them in his pocket and walked toward the forest. 'Besides...this may provide some entertainment.'

III

She just **_had_** to try to get to Balamb, didn't she?

Never mind that Instructor Kinneas said to come straight back.

_Noooooo_, she just had to listen to her rumbling stomach the moment the thought of Mrs. Dincht and her oden crossed her fatigued mind. Her mood had brightened instantly and instead of reporting back to Balamb Garden to get the results for her run through for the Fire Cavern, she decided to go (on her own) to Balamb to see Instructor Zell's mother. The lady reminded her of Sango's mother, and was a killer card player.

But instead of being in either Balamb or the Garden, she was chased into this dark forest, her stomach still rumbling as the sounds of the other stomachs around her growled viciously.

She just _had_ to be hardheaded, didn't she?

She studied the two caterchipillars in front of her, giant green centipede creatures at least two feet longer than she was tall with hot pink bellies that warned of the poison they carried. Of course, the two caterchipillars were the least of her worries. The three bite bugs hovering above them (giant blue mosquitoes with an evil streak) were.

'Argh!, I hate those things! One bite and you itch like crazy for weeks!!' She sighed despondently and groaned when a raindrop hit her square in the eye. She tried a Fire spell before the rain started and groaned again when the few drops already falling extinguished it.

'That's just great,' she complained as she backed toward the opposite side of the clearing. 'Not only am I stuck fighting them, that blast will attract anything in the nearby area. Just great. Now why couldn't I go to the cafeteria like a good girl?' She sighed again and readied herself, ignoring the rain that was swiftly drenching her as Sesshoumaru appeared beside a tree on the edge of the clearing.

He made sure to keep out of sight so he could watch uninterrupted, one hand buried deep within his pocket with the other holding up the umbrella. To him, she looked like a regular Garden student dressed in the boys' issue uniform. Her ponytail hung from the back opening of her baseball cap, the obsidian strands heavy and curling under the water's weight. He never realized she was a girl until she shed the waterlogged jacket and tossed it to the forest floor.

He studied her, watching as she shifted into a ready position, her feet shoulder length apart and her right hand at her left side. The rain quickly soaked through her white tank top and clung to generous curves that flowed to a perfect hourglass figure. The blue pants clung to her hips, his eyes only moving when she raised her left hand palm out in front of her.

Sesshoumaru stood at her right, so he was unable to see what she was reaching for with her right hand as she circled the monsters in front of her and waited. One of the bite bugs was the first to move, it flying at a kamikaze speed toward her. She dropped to one knee and sliced upward with a flash of silvery blue light, then quickly sliced another in half that tried to take advantage of her inattention. The last bite bug was disposed of with a quick Blizzard spell, leaving her alone with the two poisonous insects and a gunblade grasped in her hands.

'Another female specialist? Hmnh,' Sesshoumaru snorted lightly as she once again circled the monsters like one would prey. 'I must say, she has some skill....for a female.'

She spun the weapon around her right hand, a silent challenge to begin toward the two monsters. One took the challenge fully and attacked, releasing a smoking stream of web from it's hind quarters. She cut through the webbing before it could wrap around her, rolled forward and tossed a stone from the silver item pack at her left. The stone exploded instantly and Sesshoumaru shielded his eyes from the activated Flare spell. When he looked back the caterchipillar was gone with only one more remaining.

'She's quite good,' Sesshoumaru commented to himself as she stared down the last one. 'Now if only I could see her face...'

She beckoned the creature forward but this one refused her bait. She shrugged and shook her head, water droplets flying from the ends of her hair to mingle with the ones falling around her. She charged forward with a growl and leapt into the air, her gunblade high above her head..

'She knows Inuyasha, that's for sure,' Sesshoumaru quipped drily, recognizing the move from when he used to spar with his younger sibling. 'Perhaps she's not as skilled as I first thought.'

She surprised him and the caterchipillar by landing in a crouch and rolling to the insect's right side. She quickly ran the tip of her blade through it, ignoring it's snarls and growls of agony as she hacked it to pieces. She stood above it and groaned, finally facing Sesshoumaru as she lifted her weapon from the mess and frowned.

"Ohhhhh," she complained miserably as the blue blood coating dripped from the curved tip of the blade. "I just cleaned this." She held it in front of her, the blade shielding half of her face from Sesshoumaru as she frowned up her button nose. "I guess I'll just have to clean it again..." She glanced up slowly, blue green eyes darkening to a deep emerald before lighting slightly to an aquamarine.

Sesshoumaru knew he was discovered when she slowly shifted her weight to her right leg, her hips sliding seductively into the motion as the empty silver holster bounced against her left side. Her head tipped slightly, her eyes dancing merrily against the lightening as aquamarine met golden for the first time in four years.

'Do I know this human,' Sesshoumaru wondered and cursed the rain for drowning her scent. She gave him a sweet smile, her lips tilted up a little higher on one side as she cocked the blade back and tossed it in his direction. Sesshoumaru ducked quickly, tossed his umbrella away and unsheathed his gunblade before she could blink an eye. He attempted to strike her but his weapon bounced off a shield surrounding her. She waved, that smile once again on her lips as she pointed behind him.

Sesshoumaru turned, his eyes narrowed slightly as he cursed the rain once again. There, where he was just standing, was her gunblade, the hilt still shaking from the force of her throw as it pierced the heart of a caterchipillar and pinned it to the tree behind it.

"I suppose thanks are in order," he said as she dropped her shield and went to retrieve her weapon. "However, you should be smart enough to know that one does not throw away his...or her weapon."

"Gee, thanks for the lecture Sesshoumaru," she replied as she planted one foot on the right side of the tree, another foot on the left and gave the blade a giant tug. It came free with a groan and a creak from the tree. She rocketed away from it and flipped backward to her feet. "I don't need to hear that from you though. Inuyasha tells me that all the time."

"So you do know the halfbreed," Sesshoumaru said more than asked as she sheathed the gunblade and grabbed her jacket off the ground. She brushed it off with a sigh, a 'go figure' look on her face and put it back on much to Sesshoumaru's amusement. "Are you going to answer me?"

"Why should I?" she commented. "You're still rude as ever."

"And you know me? Interesting..."

She looked at him in confusion for a moment, then said, "Do I really look _that_ different? It's gotta be the rain. That's why you can't pick up my scent." She glanced at her wristwatch, then up at the sky above before shaking her head. "Oh well. There goes the oden. I guess I'll go back." She turned her back on him and made to disappear into the woods when he called out to her.

"Ride with me."

She stopped and glanced over her shoulder, the brim of her cap creating a shadow over her eyes. "What did you say?"

"I said 'ride with me'," Sesshoumaru repeated before retrieving his umbrella.

"I don't think so," she said with a shake of her head. "I'm almost positive you don't like the smell of wet human in your car."

"It's not my car," Sesshoumaru quipped, then actually sighed when she glared at him. "You do not have to you know. You could always walk back to the Garden and risk getting sick. Isn't the SeeD test in two days? You would definitely miss it. If you do not care then neither do I. "

"Yeah you're right," she sighed irritably, then walked up to him and gestured for him to lead the way. He closed his umbrella and entertained a moment's thought to allow her to use it before dispersing the thought like wind to a cloud.

She opened the passenger door and sat down, her wet uniform squeaking against the leather seats. Sesshoumaru entered next, then started the car and cranked up the heat. He noticed her shiver, her hair sticking to the back of her neck to wrap around the front in dark fingers. Her hands were stuffed inside her sleeves and her shoulders drawn up as she occasionally brought the material up to her mouth and blew warm air into it.

"You are cold."

She huffed lightly. "Yeah, I know."

He glanced at her from the corner of his eye from time to time, but otherwise continued to drive in complete silence. He noticed her shiver but chose to study her until they pulled int the Garden parking lot. She hopped out before he could fully stop the car, leaving a wet imprint in the seats. She waited patiently for Sesshoumaru to get out and walked with him to the commons area where a student her age with short brown hair stood waiting.

"Hey Kagome," he said as he ran to keep pace with her. "Um, I was wondering-"

"Can I take a raincheck Hojo?" Kagome interrupted as she gestured to her soaked clothing. "I'm kinda in a need for a new set of clothes."

"Um..." Sesshoumaru looked on in disgust as Hojo checked her out, forgetting that he had done the same thing not fifteen minutes ago. "Sure Kagome. You just find me when you're ready."

"I will, I promise. Oh, and Sesshoumaru?"

Sesshoumaru looked up expectantly, the look of boredom never leaving his features.

"That knocking noise is your fan belt coming loose. You'd better fix it before you take it back, because they'll swear it's your fault."

He watched her as she walked away, noticing the slightly lopsided swagger caused by the weapon at her side. Her left hip dipped slightly farther than her right, giving her a walk that was signature, confidant, unique...

And sexy as hell.

Sesshoumaru mentally slapped himself for the thought, reminding himself that he still had no real clue as to who she was. Hojo sighed beside him, a happy smile on his face as he turned to Sesshoumaru. "Do you know her?"

"Not exactly," Sesshoumaru replied, then decided that this may be the ample time to gather some information. "Why, do you?"

"Everybody knows her," Hojo said enthusiastically. "That's Kagome Higurashi."

"Really?" Sesshoumaru drawled dryly. "How...interesting." 'Not really,' Sesshoumaru thought to the contrary. 'However, he may have something useful on the girl.'

"Yeah, I know it. I mean, out of all three Gardens, Balamb ends up with the only female specialist from Esthar. She's taking auto mechanics and hostage negotiations, and she's like lightening with that gunblade of hers. You know, they say that she's like the female Endo, the older one of the two brothers. What's his name...." Sesshoumaru looked on as Hojo struggled to remember, a slight smirk on his face when Hojo shrugged and continued.

"Anyway, I've been trying to go out with her since I transferred here. But she never seems to have time between her training and her friends. Besides, I hear she has a boyfriend. This Kouga guy swears that she's his woman."

"Is that so?" Sesshoumaru yawned, already deciding that this human was useless. 'I've learned absolutely nothing about her. Why do I want to know...It has to be because she's a specialist. I feel like I know her from somewhere...maybe I've been away from the Garden too long. "You must excuse me. I have something that I must attend to."

"Sure man. Hey, what's your name?"

Sesshoumaru paused and turned to the boy with a smirk, allowing a single fang to glint dangerously in the sunlight. "Endo. Sesshoumaru Endo."

He expected the shocked look on his face as he walked away, and the shuddering fear that went along with it. 'He remembered my name after all.' He walked up the stairs to the elevator and slid his ID card through the slot inside the elevator car. He waited for the three beeps that allowed access to the third floor and the headmaster's office. 'May as well report in first, then see to my room,' he said to himself as the elevator began its assent. 'Then we shall see what else has changed in my absence.'

IV

Kagome quickly walked down the hallway, her head ducked down to avoid the eyes of passerbys as she rubbed a towel through her wet hair. 'I feel so much better now,' she sighed happily as she walked back into her room and patted Shippou's head before disappearing into her bedroom. 'To be wet and cold is one thing, but to be wet from a bath is another. There's nothing like being clean.'

"Hey Kagome," Shippou called from the front room before turning off the TV. "How did your Fire Cavern test go?"

"It was alright," Kagome's muffled voice replied from underneath a giant blue hoodie that obviously didn't belong to her. "I picked the twenty minute time limit and made it out in less than eleven minutes."

"Not bad. I did it last week and came out in twelve minutes and thirty four seconds. I would have been faster, but I messed around and used a Thunder spell instead of a Blizzard. Made a bat real mad at me." He grinned when Kagome laughed, a sound that was rare to hear. She was always so serious and so quiet that it worried Shippou sometimes. The few times he could make her laugh were ones he cherished, each one going to a special part of his memory to join its brethren.

"So how did Diablos do?" he asked next. He ducked his head to hide his smile when Kagome came out, one foot inside a pair of sneakers, the other desperately following it as she hopped around the room. "You know, that works so much better if you sit down."

"Don't (hop) have (hop) time (hop) (thump). Crap," Kagome muttered when her hip knocked against her gunblade case. It fell heavily to the floor, the weapon inside rattling slightly while Kagome finished tying her shoe and stood it back up. "I've got to get to the cafeteria before it closes."

"You haven't eaten yet?" Shippou asked. Kagome shook her head. "I was going to see if I could get something in Balamb, but I got a little sidetracked."

"Yeah, I saw that. You do remember that we have an assembly tomorrow right?"

"Yes Shipp, I remember," Kagome groaned. "We've got two free days right? Then it's our exam."

"Yup," Sango said as she opened the door and walked into the room. "So what are you guys doin'?"

"I'm going to the cafeteria before it's too late," Kagome replied as she straightened out her black jogging pants. Sango took one look and grimaced. "Is that Inuyasha's hoodie?"

"Nope," Kagome said as she shook her head. "Mine...now."

"That's so wrong," Shippou commented with a smile. "You're always taking his stuff."

"He's always pissing me off! If he left me alone-"

"You'd get mad because he's not speaking to you," Sango finished. Kagome huffed and turned away. "Where is Dog Boy anyway?" she asked Shippou.

"He and Kikyou are in the quad helping Instructor Kinneas set up for the Spring Garden Festival."

"But that's not until March," Sango complained, then shrugged and grabbed Kagome's arm. "Come on Kagome," she said as she shoved her out the door and down the hallway. "I'm hungry, and I can hear your stomach without Shippou's youkai hearing."

Shippou shook his head after they left, his mind once again on the old fashioned radio he was struggling to put together for his homework assignment. 'Imagine, I've got a SeeD test in a few days and she **still** gives us homework,' he griped and jumped back when a wire shorted and sparks flew. 'That's it,' he said as he tossed aside a pair of pliers. 'I quit. I'll figure it out later.' He left the room and decided to stroll around the commons circle, his mind wandering from one thing to another before he turned toward the cafeteria, intent on asking his friend what the strange, yet familiar smell from earlier was.

V

Kagome groaned as her alarm clock rang, her fingers fumbling for it before finally knocking it off her nightstand with a heavy thud. She sat up groggily and rubbed her eyes, the orbs half hidden behind heavy lids as she struggled toward the waking world. "I was supposed to do something today," she said to herself as she looked around her room. "But what was i-"

"Hey Kagome!" Shippou yelled as he pounded on her door. "Could you come on? We've got our assembly today remember?"

"Oh crap!" Kagome exploded as she bolted from her bed. She threw open her closet and desperately searched for something to wear. She grabbed a lavender bandeau top and quicky slipped it on, then grabbed a pair of sheer bell sleeves from her drawer and tied them to her upper arms with pink ribbon. She struggled to get into the black jeans she found next, her tugging and twisting resulting in her tumbling backward and onto her unmade bed with a squeak.

Shippou rammed the door open a second later, worry and anxious fear on his face before his cheeks darkened to a light pink. Kagome, either unaware of his presence or just uncaring, continued her attempts to get dressed. Her legs were high above her head as she balanced herself on her shoulders and back and jerked the pants down inch by inch. She stood up with a sigh when they were finally on, quickly threw the elastic band in her hair to the side and grabbed a brush while Shippou recovered his senses.

"Jeez, could you not do that," he finally grumbled at last. "I thought you were being killed in here!"

"Oh please," Kagome smiled before leaning over. Her face disappeared underneath the mass of black locks as she brushed it forward before she flipped it back and searched for her boots. "You're only fifteen Shipp. I have the right to scare the hell out of you sometimes."

"You're starting to sound like Inuyasha Kagome," Shippou chastised as she tugged on her boots. "You know that's not good for you."

"Yeah I know. Sorry about that." She stood up and grabbed her gunblade case, flipping the locks open with nimble fingers. Shippou handed her the silver holster hanging on her wall and stood by as she strapped the silvery blue weapon into place. "OK, let's go."

They left the room in a dead run, barely avoiding other Garden students as they went about their normal day in their mad rush to the quad. Shippou finally tired of Kagome's pace, picked her up and ran full throttle down the hallway. "Why didn't you do this earlier?" Kagome asked as she held on to him.

"Don't want you getting used to it," he answered with a smile and was glad when she returned it. He burst onto the quad, taking the first and second flight of stairs in giant leaps to the bottom platform where other students sat waiting. He stopped in front of Sango, Miroku and Inuyasha and placed Kagome back on Earth before turning to the others with a grin. "Hey you guys. You could have come to get us."

"Yeah, but we knew you and Kagome would show up eventually," Miroku replied. "We did save you a seat though."

"Thanks you guys," Kagome said as she and Shippo took their seats. Sango sat on Miroku's left, with another Garden student on the other side. Shippou sat beside Miroku with Kagome beside Inuyasha.

"Here," Inuyasha grumbled as he dropped a box in Kagome's lap. Kagome gaped at it in surprise, then at him before returning to the package again. "What's this?" she asked as she began to peel the tape off of it.

"Don't know," Inuyasha said with a shrug. "I was in the office earlier when it arrived, so I told the secretary that I'd give it to you. Don't open it yet."

"Why?" Kagome asked, then quieted along with the rest of the students as Headmaster Leonheart descended the stairs. Following behind him were a group of uniformed SeeDs, six in all including Sesshoumaru and another hanyou with white hair and tiny feelers on her head. Squall took his place at the middle of the platform, with the SeeDs lining up along the wall behind him before falling into parade rest.

"It's good to see you all up this morning," Squall began as he glanced at the eighteen nervous cadets in front of him. "As you all are aware, your SeeD exams are scheduled for this week. However, the rumors that your exam is going to be tomorrow are completely false. The test is Saturday, not Friday so please remember that. The test will be a short scrimmage in Balamb. You are expected to act as if there were a real mission and behave yourselves accordingly.

"What else was there?" he mumbled to himself, then shook his head. "Oh yeah. Anyone and everyone that hasn't taken the Fire Cavern test must speak with either instructors Kinneas or Trepe. Any of those three will be able to take you to the cavern, but you'd better do it before it's too late. You must have a Guardian Force, or GF for this scrimmage too so be sure to have one or two equipped. Are there any questions?"

"Um, yes sir," one cadet said as she raised her hand. "I have a question Headmaster sir."

"Go ahead," Squall permitted. "What is it?"

"Who's going to lead us through the scrimmages?"

"I'm glad you asked." Squall stepped to the side and gestured toward the SeeDs behind him. "They will be your leaders. Each person will be assigned a SeeD member as a squad leader."

"That's just great," Inuyasha gripped softly. "If I end up with Sesshoumaru, I may as well sit on my ass and say the hell with it."

"Shhhhh!" Shippou and Kagome hissed. Inuyasha made a rude gesture and quieted.

"If that's all then...I guess you're free for the rest of the day. Cadets..."

The cadets stood quickly, coming to an immediate attention as Squall paced in front of them.

"Cadets, if you're not nervous about the next couple of days you should be," he told them grievously. "Yes it is just a test, and yes you can always take it again if you fail."

"Like Kouga," Inuyasha growled softly. Shippou snickered, then winced along with Inuyasha when Kagome nudged them in their sides. All three looked up to find Squall's eyes on them, his brow raised questioningly. Kagome and Shippou found sense enough to blush, but Inuyasha 'Feh'ed before going silent.

"Then again, you guys have to remember that there are some people who take this test repeatedly and NEVER pass. It's said that if you don't pass the test the first time, you'll never reach the levels you could have had you passed on the first try. This test will shape your future. Cadets, do you understand?"

"Sir yes sir!"

"Good. First Cadet Higurashi, step out of the line please." Kagome stepped forward obediently, her eyes narrowed slightly as she began to plot the many ways she would skin both Inuyasha and Shippou at the same time. "The rest of you are dismissed."

The others filed out quickly, some casting sympathetic glances in Kagome's direction. Shippou picked up her package and flicked his tail against her left hand in apology before following the others. Squall stood in front of her, his eyes boring into hers like icy drills until only Kagome, Squall and the SeeDs behind him were left.

"At ease First Cadet," he ordered with a yawn. "You're not in trouble."

"That's good sir," Kagome said in relief. "But why did you pull me away from the others?"

'Not like I mind or anything,' one of the other SeeDs thought while Sesshoumaru busied himself with delving into the minds of the others around him. 'Man, it's got to be good to be Headmaster when all he does is stare at pretty girls like her all day long.'

'Utterly repulsive,' Sesshoumaru thought to himself as the slight scent of arousal permeated the air, though he wasn't sure if it was the thoughts of his comrades or the scent of the males around him was what repulsed him. He growled slightly, not loud enough to draw attention but enough to be effective. The arousal all but disappeared much to his relief, and to the hanyou at the end as well if her gentle sigh meant anything.

"I wanted to talk to you," Squall answered, both he and Kagome unaware of the going's on behind them. "How is Junsei?"

"She's a lot better," Kagome smiled happily. "She was a lot heavier, but she's perfect now."

"So you took her to that junkshop in Timber?"

"Uh huh," Kagome nodded. "Master Totosai right? Yup. All I had to do was say your name and he fixed it right up for me."

"That's good," Squall nodded. "What about your GF?"

"Well..." Kagome began sheepishly. "He's not exactly happy to be with me. It's like he doesn't like me. It takes him forever to be summoned."

"That's because he's not used to you," Squall assured her. "You have to use Diablos more often, especially with your Holy absorption abilities."

"Yeah, but couldn't I get a different one other than that temperamental bat?" Kagome asked. "Like...Alexander or something like that."

"We don't keep those kinds of GFs here. You'd have to find another one on your own." He frowned at Kagome's disappointment, then gestured to her side. "Let me see her."

Kagome complied without question, quickly un-sheathing her gunblade and handing to him. Squall held up the blade and inspected it, his eyes expertly searching over the razor sharp blade before drawing his finger along the blunt edge on the other side. "Where's your insignia?"

"My what?" Kagome replied. "What's that?"

"It's sort of like a seal, so that if you're weapon ever goes missing it can be returned to you. Haven't you thought of a symbol?"

"No," Kagome shook her head. "I haven't. I haven't had the time to."

"Well do it so we can get Junsei registered. Name and description alone aren't enough." He returned it to her and dismissed her, the last Kagome saw of them was when the headmaster turned to address the SeeDs behind him.

'A seal...what kind of seal...' she wondered as she turned to the right toward the directory. 'I wonder if the others have a insignia. They haven't said anything.'

"Hey Kagome!" she heard Shippou shout from in front of the directory. "Come this way!"

"Where was Kikyou Inuyasha?" Miroku asked as Kagome walked up to them. Inuaysha shrugged. "She can't take it the test this year."

"Aw, that's too bad Inuyasha," Kagome said as she sympathetically patted his shoulder. "I'm sure she'll take it next year."

"Yeah well, I won't be here next year."

"Ain't that sweet?" Shippou teased and grinned when Inuyasha growled at him. "Inuyasha's just a widdle biddy baby puppy without his Kiky-wiky!"

"Don't say that!" Inuyasha growled. "Don't start Shippou!"

"And you're gonna do what if I do?" Shippou provoked, his fists already raised as Inuyasha glowered in front of him. "Not a thing so kiss ass puppy boy."

"That's it!"

"Inuyasha Stop!"

Inuyasha froze mid stride, amber orbs glittering angrily as Kagome scolded Shippou. "You shouldn't have said that Shippou. That wasn't very nice. And you Inuyasha, it's not nice to pick on Shippou! He's younger than you you know."

"Feh!," he grumbled through gritted teeth. "Like I care how old he is! The way I see it, once they're old enough to hit, they can get hit back."

"But he hasn't even **hit** you yet!" Kagome argued as Kikyou appeared at the edge of the group. "So why don't you stop bothering him!"

"They're arguing again huh?" Kikyou asked as she tapped Sango's shoulder. Sango nodded and sighed. "I swear, they fight more than old married people."

"I heard that Sango," Inuyasha snapped heatedly before glaring at Kagome again. "And you! You let me out of this!"

"No!" Kagome shot back. "Not until you promise not to hurt Shippou!"

"You can't make me," Inuyasha snarled.

"Oh yes I can!"

"No you can't."

"Yes I can!"

"No, you CAN'T."

"YES, I CAN!!!"

"No you CAN'T!!!"

"And why can't I?" Kagome demanded. Inuyasha snickered and said, "Because I'm stronger than you, that's why."

"And here we go," Miroku grumbled while Shippou ate up the argument like cotton candy. "How do you think they'll settle it this time?"

"Push ups," Sango said as she stared ahead of them. "What makes you say that?" Miroku asked.

"Oh," Kikyou said as she pointed back to the pair. "That." Miroku glanced back and found Inuyasha out of his previous paralysis and down on all fours on the polished hardwood floor. Kagome was laid out facing him, her palms flat on the floor as she matched every push up he made.

"Hey, no fair," he said after twenty five. "She's doing the girl push ups! Not bloody fair!"

"Just in case you haven't noticed Inuyasha," Shippou said as a spectator stopped to watch the show. "She **IS** a girl! She can do them!"

"Yeah," Kagome huffed irritably. "You're not the one lugging C's off the cold ground."

"You're still cheating!" Inuyasha griped, but this time with a feint blush. "I'm not gonna do this if you're not gonna play fair!"

"All right you whinny baby," Kagome relented as she switched from her knees to her toes and continued. Inuyasha smirked knowingly when she began to tire, victory and Shippou's beat down imminent when a pair of black boots, shrouded along the legs in black uniform pants, straddled Kagome's feet. Inuyasha looked up and gaped in surprise, the contest long forgotten as cool golden eyes glared down at him.

"Please do not tell me you're cheating Inuyasha," Sesshoumaru said with a growl of disapproval. "Do you treat all of your friends this way?"

"Butt out asshole," Inuyasha shot back, then gaped when Kagome stumbled and fell from surprise. She hadn't realized that was Sesshoumaru was standing over her until he said something, and the initial shock caused her to lose what little balance she had. She turned over quickly and glared up at him, the question on her lips dying the moment he offered his hand to help her up.

"No thanks," Kagome mumbled as she stood up, dusted herself off and readjusted her sleeves. "I don't need your help."

Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed a fraction as a memory resurfaced, this one of an angry thirteen year old with the same shifting blue-green eyes shouting up at him. 'I thought I knew her,' he said with a mental smirk. 'So...this is how she grew up. Impressive...' "I merely wanted to return the favor."

"Wait a second," Inuyasha interrupted, latching onto the sentence and the little hint behind it like a leech. "You mean to tell me that Kagome's helped _you_?"

"Yes, during my arrival yesterday," he replied while Kagome sheepishly stared at the ground in front of her. "I'm surprised she didn't tell you."

"Yeah, you never said anything about running into Fluffy Bottom here," Inuyasha yelled in her direction. "Why the fuck not?!"

"Well, I...uh...excuse me." She walked off without another word, only stopping to pick up her package before disappearing around the bend of the commons circle. "Oh that's just great," Inuyasha griped while Shippou ran off behind her. "You just had to come over here and make a scene didn't you?"

"Actually dear brother, you and your woman were making the scene," Sesshoumaru commented dryly.

"Kagome's not my woman, jackass!" Inuyasha retorted with a angry glare and a barely hidden blush. Sesshoumaru noticed the blush however, and the slight feeling of...something when Inuyasha responded. "I see," he said cryptically. "Then she does have an ounce of sense. Clever girl..."

"Hey, why don't you go the fuck on?!" Inuyasha demanded before Kikyou and the others attempted to try to calm him down. "No body asked you to stop and be nosy ya priss!"

"The name calling is unnecessary. I assure you, I am not interested in your little group." He turned and left them to their day, leaving nothing more than confusion and questions behind.

'I don't get it,' Inuyasha said to himself as Kikyou scolded him for his behavior toward Kagome and Shippou. 'I mean, I didn't even see him walk up. No scent, no nothing then all of a sudden he's there. It's just not right. And why didn't Kagome tell us she helped him? And why WOULD she help him? She practically hated him, but now they're all buddy-buddy?'

)-(

"Kagome, wait up!" Shippou huffed as he ran after her. 'For a human, Kagome sure can disappear when she wants to,' he griped to himself as he followed her scent down the hallway to the dorm. He stopped in front of their room, his hand on the doorknob as he pushed a stray piece of hair behind an elfin ear. 'Come on Shippou, it's just Kagome,' he chastised himself. 'She's your friend and she might need to talk to you right now. Just open the bloody do-'

"Shipp!"

"KAYAAAA!" Shippou screeched when the door opened and Kagome practically dragged him inside. He stood flabbergasted as she hugged him, her happiness enough to bring him out of his stupor. "What's going on?" he asked when Kagome finally let him go. "You practically ran from us and now your-"

"Look what Souta sent me!" Kagome interrupted as she held up her IBook. Shippou took the silver diskman from her and pressed play, then watched as a holographic version of her brother appeared with a birthday cake.

"_Happy birthday to you!_" the hologram sang as two more people, Shippou guessed Kagome's parents, appeared beside him and began to sing along. "_Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday dear Kagome! Happy birthday to you!! Yayyyy!!!_"

"_Yeah, I know,_" the hologram of Souta grinned as the others faded to the background. "_You're birthday was last month, but we can still celebrate! Hey, it's not everyday your sister turns seventeen **AND** becomes a SeeD!!! I can't WAIT for you to pass so I can tell all my friends! There's Matthew, Jason, Ken, Ami, Ry-_"

"_Souta dear,_" Kagome's mother said from behind him. "_Finish up please. You only have a few seconds left._"

"_Oh yeah. Sorry about that. Hey! I got you something with my own gil! That's right, I saved! I did some chores, helped out a few people in the neighborhood and boom! There ya go! Yeah! I wish I could see your face when you open it!!!_"

"_Souta,_" the father warned sternly. "_Remember the time._"

"_I know Dad! Anyway, you're gonna love it! I know it. Maybe you'll wear it the next time I come to Timber...or maybe you'll come see me someday. Anyway, at school-_"

**BEEP**!

"_No, wait!_" Souta exclaimed. "_I'm not-_"

**BEEP!**

"_I'm sorry Kagome! Wait a minute! I wanna say some-_"

**BEEP!**

"_I love you Kago-_"

'End message' appeared in the middle of the hologram screen, signaling the end of the recording. Shippou handed it back to her gently, knowing that Kagome treasured the few recording and messages her brother sent almost as much as some people hovered over a favorite necklace or bracelet. "What's in the box?" he asked. Kagome shrugged and together they dragged it toward the couch and sat down. They pawed aside the balls of styrofoam until they came to a large parcel tightly wrapped in white paper.

"What do you think he sent me?" Kagome asked as she began unwrapping the paper.

"I don't know, a fish maybe?" he joked. "That would explain all the paper."

"Uh huh," Kagome mumbled as the last of the paper fell free. She sorted through the bundle of heavy black cloth underneath until she found a sleeve, then another and stretched the bomber jacket out in front of them. "Oh wow," Kagome breathed as she turned over the heavy material in her hands. A small gunblade was embroidered on the left breast, with a Celtic cross surrounded by flame on the back in silvery blue thread.

"Isn't it great Shipp," Kagome said as she shrugged into it and stood up. She turned around for him to see better and glanced at him from over her shoulder. "Isn't it perfect?"

"Yeah," Shippou nodded and watched the smile on her face grow. "Best I've seen in a long time."

"Really? Oh wow, I've got to find a way to thank him!" Kagome giggled as she held the jacket closed and gave a happy spin. "I can't believe this! How could he have afforded this! It must have taken him a long time to save up!" She sniffed then and Shippou's nose twitched at the hint of salt in the air. "Souta you brat," she sniffed again before a tear rolled down her cheek.

"Hey, don't cry," Shippou reprimanded softly when she began to cry. He tugged the free end of her coat until she was seated beside him and draped an arm around her shoulders. "He sent that so you could be happy right?"

"Yeah," Kagome whimpered with another sniff.

"Then why are you crying? I thought you humans only cried when your sad."

"That's because I am sad," Kagome confessed. "I've been such a jerk to him and he's been this great brother. He's not even mad at me!"

"Look Kagome," Shippou began, then sighed when she buried her face in the collar of his blue and gray rugby shirt. "Hey, don't cry. If you think you've been a jerk, then make up for it. You can't do that by crying you know."

"Yeah, you're right," Kagome agreed and calmed down. She dried her face with the back of her hand and glanced down at her jacket again. 'All he wanted to do was help me,' Kagome reminded herself as she traced a finger around the cross on the front of the jacket. 'And I think he's been more help that he may have realized.'

VI

Bleary eyes opened and stared around in confusion before a fisted hand came up to rub them. Kagome yawned and stretched carefully, mindful of the head in her lap as she finally registered where she was and with whom she was with. She was in the front room of her and Shippou's dorm, with the others sprawled around her and the TV still on. She and Shippou were sitting on the floor in front of one end of the couch, Shippou sprawled all over the place with his head in her lap and an arm tightly wrapped around her waist. Kikyou and Inuyasha were seated on the other side of the couch, both asleep with their heads resting against one another. Sango and Miroku rested at the table with their heads on their arms. Wrappers of various junk foods lay scattered around them, the remaining evidence of their party last night. To her, both couples made the cutest picture and she smiled to herself.

'They're so cute,' she mused as she gazed from Miroku and Sango to Inuyasha and Kikyou. 'I'm glad we could spend this last little bit of time together.' They had the party early, deciding that Friday would be spent just enjoying each others company. Kagome figured that, since Inuyasha would be graduating a year before Kikyou, that they would somehow sneak away from the others and spend some time alone. 'As a matter of fact, I bet that's what Sango and Miroku will do too.' She looked down at Shippou and smiled again as she petted the ponytail in the back of his head. 'Now that only leaves you Shipp. We've got to find you somebody nice.'

To Kagome, Shippou was her best friend in the entire world. Sure, she and Sango were close but she and Shippou had become nearly inseparable since they were assigned the same dorm a few years ago. Out of everyone else in the room, Shippou was the only one who knew why she left home, why she never wanted to go back for the holidays, why she would cry whenever she received a message from Souta...

And he was the only one who knew about the crush she once had on Inuyasha.

Nothing changed on the outside, but inside Kagome was a complete mess. When she was fifteen, days were spent trying to impress him either through their training, their arguing or just plain out through her company but nothing ever felt like progress. Inuyasha still regarded her like a little sister, and she quietly accepted whatever attention she received from him while at night she could do nothing but cry. It was Shippou, then thirteen, who sat up with her and hugged her. She could remember even now his whispered promises, that everything would be fine and someday Inuyasha would wake up and see her the way she saw him.

When Inuyasha finally did ask her something, it was whether or not she thought Kikyou might be interested in him. She truthfully answered that she hadn't a clue and the rest of the week was without incident until Kikyou asked if she minded her and Inuyasha dating. Of course, since Kagome and Sango were Inuyasha's friends before she came along, she felt that she should ask them first before making the first move. More than anything Kagome wanted to be selfish and tell her yes, that she minded and that they shouldn't date but she couldn't. She told Kikyou no with a smile, then spent the next three days recovering from the 'flu'.

It was then that Shippou began to take the teenage form he held now, with his hair much shorter than it was when he was a kid. He stayed by her side the entire time, with the both of them on the couch and her completely curled up within his fluffy tail. She emerged afterward still a little tender about the situation, but accepting that Inuyasha just wasn't for her. Besides, he and Kikyou made the perfect couple. She would have ended up shooting him for some of the things Kikyou allowed him to get away with.

"You're going to make some lucky girl really happy someday Shipp," Kagome whispered as she kissed his forehead. 'We're gonna have to look for you somebody. I bet that girl in the library has a crush on you.' She yawned and glanced around the room again, staring dismally at the mess before turning to the heap of presents piled up in a corner. They all decided to give each other something, with Shippou and Sango providing the drinks and food. Miroku gave them all ammunition that he blessed himself, his studies as a monk allowing him to do such effectively. He told them that the altered bullets would help against undead creatures so the presents were readily accepted. He handed Shippou a pair of gloves that were blessed as well. Kikyou gave her and Sango girlie things like lotion and shampoo, while Kagome gave Inuyasha, Miroku, Sango and Shippou com-phones like hers with the numbers already programmed inside. But out of them all it was Inuyasha who gave the most practical gift, giving everyone a black all weather duffle bag with their initials monogrammed on the shoulder strap.

Kagome glanced down at her watch and sighed, figuring that four twenty-seven was way too early to try to clean up. 'Besides,' Kagome thought as she leaned back against the couch and closed her eyes. 'We can always clean this mess up together later.' She sighed heavily and relaxed, and was almost asleep when

**MEEEE**

**MEEEE**

**MEEEE**

**MEEE**

Kagome shot up with a start, as did everyone around her as an alarm sounded throughout the hallway outside. "Just what the fuck is that?" Inuyasha yelled over the noise as he covered his ears.

"It's the Garden alarm," Miroku hollered as he scrambled for his boots. Sango and the others followed suit as he explained. "The alarm only comes on in an emergency."

"What kind of emergency?" Shippou asked as he pulled on his gloves. "And why does it have to be so loud?"

"It could be anything. It might be a system malfunction, a siege, missiles-"

"MISSILES?!" Kikyou shouted back. "Are you serious?"

"Dead serious. It's happened once before. There's no telling what it could be."

"Well I'm not standing around to find out," Inuyasha yelled as he grabbed his gunblade and tossed Kagome hers. "I'm going to check it out." He opened the door and stormed outside, only to freeze in place at the visitor leaning against the wall on the other side of the hallway. The others immediately crashed into his back, sending him sprawling to the floor with everyone else plied high on top of him.

"I wondered how you all manage to walk without difficultly," Sesshoumaru smirked, his arms crossed over the front of his SeeD uniform. "Now I see that you can't."

"Shut the hell up," Inuyasha mumbled from the bottom of the pile before shoving everyone to the side. He stood up and shook himself off while everyone else collected themselves. "What's going on Sesshoumaru?" Inuyasha demanded. "You're not sitting outside here for nothing."

"I was asked by the headmaster to find you and bring you all to the dormitory courtyard," Sesshoumaru answered before turning on his heel and walking away from them.

"That doesn't explain what's going on," Inuyasha shouted. "Why's the damn alarm going off?"

"Because as of right now, we are under attack."

"Is he serious?" Kikyou asked Kagome. Kagome shrugged. "I don't know. I guess so."

"That's not funny Sesshoumaru," Inuyasha retorted hotly. "Now what's going on already?!"

"I think he's serious Inuyasha," Kagome said from the back of the group. "I mean, why would he lie?"

"To get back at us for the pink hair dye we put in his shampoo a couple of years ago," Inuyasha replied with a grin. "That was pretty funny."

"As immature and unnecessary as that was Inuyasha, I assure you I had forgotten about that...until now."

"See Inuyasha," Kagome hissed. "You just had to open your mouth."

"Whatever Kagome," Inuyasha said as he shoved her to the side. "What's attacking us Sesshoumaru?"

"I do not know," Sesshoumaru answered, his gaze still on the hallway in front of him. "I was assisting the headmaster with a systems repair when the alarm sounded. At first it was thought to be a tripped circuit, but after running some tests the headmaster decided to evacuate the junior classmen and send someone to wake the first cadets."

"So you've had to wake up everyone," Miroku said. Sesshoumaru shook his head. "Not everyone. Just you five."

The group exchanged worried glances as they trailed along behind him, their concerned and confused thoughts echoing one another until Kagome gasped.

"What now Kagome?" Inuyasha mumbled. "Its not like we don't have enough to deal with."

"Shut up Dog Boy," Kagome snapped before tapping her right index and middle fingers on her lower lip in though. "Sesshoumaru said something about them evacuating the junior classmen right?"

"Yeah," Shippou nodded. "So?"

"So Kikyou's with us. What are they going to do with her?"

"That's right," Sango said as Kikyou paled. "Kikyou wasn't in her room last night. You don't think they're looking for her do you?"

"Oh my God I totally forgot!" Kikyou squeaked suddenly. "I'm so dead!!!"

"Do try to be quiet," Sesshoumaru commanded. "Or are you trying to get us caught?"

"No it's not that," Kagome said as Kikyou started to panic. "See, Kikyou's a junior. She-"

'Was not in her room last night," Sesshoumaru finished. "Yes, I know. The headmaster is aware of it as well and she's to report to him once we arrive at our destination."

"See Kikyou," Inuyasha told her when they continued forward. "Everything's fine. You're not going to get into trouble." Kikyou nodded in relief, her scent and countenance much calmer as they descended the concrete stairs to the outdoor courtyard where the other first cadets sat waiting. They took their places among the other cadets while Sesshoumaru and Squall discussed something they couldn't hear.

"I don't know about this you guys," Kagome whispered among the others. "Something feels odd about this whole thing."

"Like what?" Shippou asked when she had his attention. "I mean, it's got to be legit. The headmaster's here."

"Yeah, I know but have you noticed that the only people here, besides maybe twelve instructors and SeeDs, are the SeeDs and the students that went to the assembly meeting yesterday?"

"Yeah, I noticed that," Inuyasha replied, then shrugged. "So?"

"So?! So don't you think that's weird?"

"No, not really," Miroku said before the others nodded in agreement. "Remember, Sesshoumaru said that the junior classmen were evacuated. That's why we're the only ones here-"

"Cadets."

Miroku and the others immediately snapped to attention, as did the SeeDs in their company. They patiently waited for Squall to continue, with Sesshoumaru the only one not at attention. He sat down on a nearby bench and went over his conversation with the headmaster while he spoke to the others.

"At ease. For you guys that haven't heard, the Garden has been invaded by terrorists," he told them, fully expecting the tension that followed. "They've managed to infiltrate the front gate through means of an outside source and have managed to take the first floor commons circle from us."

"You said terrorists sir," a SeeD with short blonde hair said after she gained Squall's attention. "What group?"

"The Happy Bunny Brigade."

Inuyasha snorted, then laughed outright as the others gaped in shock. "Are you serious?" he gasped between guffaws. "There's a bunch of _kindergartners_ overthrowing the school?! Hahaha! That's sick!"

"I don't see what's funny Cadet," Squall frowned. "The HBB are a dangerous group. They would blow this Garden to bits, if only to have the fun of watching it burn to the ground."

"Man," Inuyasha mumbled, his laughter quieted. "Sorry Headmaster."

"What's the plan?" Instructor Trepe, one of the few instructors out there, asked. "Are we calling for help?"

"No," Squall shook his head. "We're going to capture them, then hold them for questioning. If we don't, we can't go on with the SeeD exams tomorrow."

"Then what's the plan?" she asked again.

"The cadets are going to split into groups. Shiori Lowe?"

"Hai headmaster," the white haired hanyou female from the assembly responded as she stepped forward and saluted.

"You're to take...First Cadets Endo, Almsay, and...wait a second. Where is Darwin?"

"Right here Headmaster," Hojo called as he ran onto the courtyard. "I didn't hear the alarm. Sorry."

"Not a problem," Inuyasha smirked evilly. "The Garden's just being ganked from us by a bunch of crazed bunnies, that's all."

"Hey, I said I was sorry!" Hojo retorted, his run bringing him right to Inuyasha's face. "So why don't you lay off."

Inuyasha smirked again and shoved the shorter teenager. "Yeah, your damned right your sorr-"

"Silence Inuyasha."

Inuyasha gaped, then growled at Kagome and mouthed "Take it off." Kagome immediately shook her head. "Not until you stop it."

He growled again and tried to speak, then sighed and relented. Kagome tossed him a vial of Echo Screen, watched as he downed it in one gulp and grimaced. "Ugh," he groaned miserably. "Nasty."

"If that's finished, then I can assign the rest of the groups." He quickly split everyone up equally, with three cadets to each SeeD member. Somehow Kagome, Miroku and Shippou ended up with Sesshoumaru. Together, they were supposed to make their way to the quad and restrain the terrorists there.

"So," Miroku began as an attempt to cut through the silence while the others made their way toward the commons circle. "What's the plan?"

"We do as the headmaster instructed," Sesshoumaru replied before gesturing for them to line up against the wall. Shippou stood behind him, with Kagome between Shippou and Miroku while Sesshoumaru glanced around the corner to the commons hallway. He quickly pulled back and muttered what sounded suspiciously like a curse before glancing to the others. "There is one heading this way."

"Good," Kagome grinned as she and Shippou cracked their knuckles. "Let 'em come."

"No," Sesshoumaru disagreed. "The resulting scuffle will cause unwanted attention."

"Why don't we try one of the access tunnels to the basement level?" Miroku suggested. "That way we could crawl through them without worrying about being seen, then appear in the quad and take them by surprise."

"Where would one of those access tunnels be?" Sesshoumaru asked, completely unaware that there were access tunnels. 'I've been away far longer than I thought.'

"There's one in every wing, but the closest one would be one in the dorms," Miroku answered, then scratched his head thoughtfully. "But I don't know where that tunnel is."

"Then it is a useless suggestion," Sesshoumaru replied. He glanced back at the approaching gunman, then at the others when Shippou spoke up.

"Hey Miroku, what does one of those access tunnels look like?"

"Well, they're not obvious," Miroku answered with a shrug. "I mean, they could be under a rug, behind a bookcase-"

"Or under a bed?" The others glanced at him thoughtfully as he grinned sheepishly and scratched the back of his head. "I think there's one in our room."

"You think?" Sesshoumaru repeated. Shippou nodded. "I remember nosing around when Kagome and I were first assigned the room. I found something really weird, like a doorway leading to somewhere. I never got a chance to explore it because Kagome came in the room. I forgot about it until now."

"Well Captain," Kagome said as she turned to Sesshoumaru expectantly. "Should we check it out?"

"I do not see why not," Sesshoumaru replied. He gestured for Kagome and Shippou to lead the way back, then closed the door as the others filed into Shippou's room.

"OK you guys," he said before tapping the wall above his bed. "This is it." They stepped back in alarm when the wall slid open, revealing a passage big enough for them to crawl in single file. 'Oh ew,' Kagome thought to herself as she crawled inside the dark, musty tunnel behind Shippou. 'I bet there are spiders in here. I hate spiders.'

)-(

Squall glanced from one monitor to another, watching the cadets and their SeeD captains make their way toward their designated positions.

"I still don't think this is a good idea," Instructor Trepe said with a shake of her head. "I mean, you said not to seriously hurt anyone but you're forgetting that we have two youkai taking the exam this year."

"A youkai and a hanyou," Squall reminded her and smirked when she let out a frustrated breath.

"You know exactly what I mean!" she vented, then sighed and shook her head. "You're impossible. I just hope it doesn't backfire."

"It won't," Squall assured her, then went back to the monitors. "The snipers have nothing more than beanbag bullets and the close combat people have the soft leather gloves."

"What about the gunblade specialists?" Instructor Trepe asked and frowned when Squall paled slightly. "You didn't say anything to them did you?"

"No, but that shouldn't matter. All three are aware that they're not to draw their gunblades. Nothing will happen, you'll see."

)-(

Kagome grumbled to herself from the front of the team, having switched places with Sesshoumaru five minutes into the extensive crawl through the tunnel. According to Miroku, they were no longer in the basement. Sesshoumaru and Shippou could hear the faint sound of flowing water. "We must be approaching the quad," Shippou said from the back of the line.

"Thank God," Miroku groaned and wiped the sweat from his brow. "It's hot in here."

"No use complaining," Sesshoumaru told him as he nudeged Kagome's shoulder. "Let us go and get this over with."

"Fine, fine," Kagome complained as she stumbled forward. She crawled on a loose vent and fell through, the vent grate falling to the cobblestones walkway of the quad below with Kagome not too far behind. She landed heavily, a groan escaping her lips as she rolled into a nearby bush.

"Hey Sesshoumaru, look!" Shippou said as he pointed toward three men with pink floppy helmets. "They're gonna find Kagome! Shouldn't we get down there?"

"No," Sesshoumaru shook his head and relaxed against the side of the vent. "I believe we'll allow her this. After all, she is the negotiator."

Kagome sat up groggily, her hand agains the side of her head as she grasped a tree for support. "Woah," she groaned aloud. "Man, that last step sucked."

"Hey you!"

Kagome lglanced up and groaned again. "Oh man..."

"What're you doin' over thur?"

"Um..." She peacefully held up her hands as they surrounded her, her eyes on the guns in their hands as she tried to get away from the trouble she suddenly found herself in. "I'm Kagome and-"

"We don't care who ya are?" the second terrorist growled. "We just want cha ta come wit us!"

Kagome glanced up at the vent and, having found it empty, shrugged and sighed. "Sorry boys, I'm afraid I'm going to have to say no." She held up her fists and grinned as the first gunman attempted the first punch.

"She's not half bad," Miroku said as she ducked the blow and punched the unsuspecting man in his abdomen. Shippou grinned proudly. "Yeah, I know."

Kagome kneed the first gunman in the groin, then smashed his head into her knee before tossing him aside and gesturing for the next two. They backed off, quickly stepping to the side as their leader approached her. He walked with a cocky, arrogant air, his brown tail swishing back and forth behind him like the pendulum of an old grandfather clock. He too wore a happy bunny helmet, except his was more of a mask than the short helmet that covered the eyes of his lackeys.

"Come on," Kagome began as the youkai circled around her. "Don't you want to talk about this?" She jumped aside and bent herself backward to avoid his fist. "Guess not? Oh well." She ducked his advance again, then punched the youkai square in his furry pink jaw. He winced and fell backward, his hand to his face before a snarl ripped from underneath the mask. Kagome smiled back when he glared at her and before she could utter a word the youkai backhanded her, sending her flying across the quad pavilion and into a nearby tree. Her breath left her in a woosh when her back slammed into the rough bark and she groaned as she slid down it to the grass below.

"Oooooo," Miroku muttered as Kagome sat there stunned. "That looked bad."

"We should go help her," Shippou nearly shouted as he made his way toward the vent opening. He snarled at Sesshoumaru when he grasped his collar to hold him back, then backed down at the warning growl he sent back. "You will do no such thing," Sesshoumaru told him after shoving him back toward Miroku. "Higurashi can handle herself. Observe." He gestured below them and all three watched as Kagome rose to her feet, her legs wobbly but reliable. "The girl has not been harmed."

"The hell you say," Shippou muttered, then gasped as the strong, almost overpowering scent of Kagome's anger engulfed them in tides of lavender tinged water lilies. They all looked down and watched as Kagome unsheathed her gunblade, all earlier warnings for it to remain at her side forgotten.

"What is she doing?" Sesshoumaru growled as the terrorist leader took a cautious step backward.

"She's mad," Shippou whispered. "And when she gets mad like this, there's no talking to her."

Their eyes widened at the familiar sound of metal shifting against metal, Sesshoumaru recognizing it as the sound of the safety lock on a gunblade disengaging. He jumped down without another word, his gunblade already unsheathed and in his hands.

)-(

Red.

All around her, all she could see was read. The pain in her jaw was sharp, and she could almost swear that it was broken though her subconscious told her otherwise. All she could think about was the nerve of this guy. 'He hit me,' she said to herself over and over as she unsheathed her gumblade. 'That SOB hit me.' She unlocked her safety and charged the youkai, only giving him a second's time to prepare before slashing through one of the furry ears of his mask.

"And that's just for starters," she growled dangerously. She grinned at the audible gulp from behind his mask. She swept his feet from underneath him and stood over him as he struggled to rise, gunblade raised over her head and a sweet smile on her lips.

He narrowed his eyes at her and growled before she struck, her gunblade slicing through the air in a blue iridescent arch. He teeth jarred as metal hit not the terrorist's mask but the hardness of a dark gunblade. The blade itself was wide and heavy, with a thin golden line painted in the middle of the black steel. She followed the line to Sesshoumaru, her eyes blazing angrily as he stared down at her and growled.

"Stop this," he demanded as the terrorist scurried from underneath their weapons. "Put away your weapon and stand down Higurashi." Sesshoumaru growled again when she defied him, her green eyes boring into his as she ignored his order. His youki howled in righteous indignation at her defiance and the need to make her submit quickly dismissed any previous thoughts of self control. Crimson threads wove themselves into the whites of his eyes and jade flecks were beginning to swim in golden pools when she broke eye contact with him.

Kagome kept her gaze to the ground as she retreated and sheathed her weapon. She trembled slightly, her hands still fisted and her anger still present as the others jumped down from the vent and quickly subdued the other terrorists. Sesshoumaru calmed himself with a mental shake of his head and glared at Kagome as she sheepishly stood by.

Instead of explaining like Kagome was sure he was expecting, Kagome walked up to the leader and punched him in the nose. "OW!!!" he howled. He whimpered slightly and grasped his nose as it bled down his front. "Come on cutie! Can't you take a joke?"

"Cutie?" Kagome repeated in surprise. "What th-" She grabbed the mask, ripped it away and stared in disbelief into familiar blue eyes.

"Heh," Kouga weakly laughed as he wiped the blood away from his face. "Hey cutie. How's my girl doin'?"

"I'm pissed off, that's how I'm doin'!" Kagome said as she grasped an ear and hollered into it. "What's the big idea hitting me like that Kouga?"

"He said to make it believable, so that's what I did."

"Who said?" Kagome asked, her fist raised again as Shippou, Miroku and Sesshoumaru glared down at him.

"I did." They turned just as Headmaster Leonheart appeared at the top of the stairs, their jaws slack as he descended toward them. "It wasn't my idea for them to be so aggressive, but yeah. This was my idea."

"But why?" Miroku asked. "Why fool us into thinking that the Garden's under attack?"

"Because," Sesshoumaru answered as the obvious became known to him. "This is the SeeD test, is it not Headmaster?"

"Yeah, this is it," Squall nodded. "Normally, we have our candidates sent on an actual mission. The world has been rather peaceful lately, so we doctored up this simulation instead."

"So this was all fake?" Shippou asked next. "The guy we beat up in the hallway, the others that are walking around...all of them are nothing but SeeD members?"

Squall nodded again, then reached inside his pocket for a mini paging system. "All SeeD candidates," he said as his voice called over the loudspeaker. "The time is 6:00 am. You're final exam is now over. Please report to the second floor classroom hallway in front of the elevator to receive you're results. All SeeD members taking the captain's exam are to report to the quad immediately." He ended the message and returned the pager to his pocket. "That means you as well," he said as Miroku, Kagome and Shippou gawked at him. "Go on. You're results will be given to you shortly."

VII

Kagome paced the hallway anxiously, her hands inside her uniform pockets as she walked from one end of the hallway to another. "Would you sit down?" Inuyasha demanded as he watched her walk past for the umpteenth time. "Why are you so nervous anyway? It's not like you didn't do everything perfect."

"She didn't," Miroku said and stepped back when Inuyasha appeared in front of him, eager and ready to hear about Kagome's mishap.

"What'd she do?" he asked as Kagome groaned and sank down against a wall. "Disobey Fluffy? I bet that's what she did-"

"She nearly killed Kouga today."

Inuyasha blinked, then blew it off with an annoyed groan. "Oh man, is that all," he growled as the other candidates stood by and waited. "I thought she did something different."

"Kagome, are you ok?" Sango asked as she sat down beside her and gave her a hug. "What happened?"

"He hit her," Shippou answered with a sigh. "Kagome got mad and withdrew her gunblade. She nearly sliced his head off but Sesshoumaru stopped her."

"Damn it," Inuyasha snapped. "That bastard's always getting in the wa-" He quickly shut up when a member of the garden staff appeared at the end of the hallway, the tall men dressed in red and white with straw umbrella hats easy to discern from the others that attended the school.

The attendant cleared his throat reverently, held up a piece of paper and said, "I have here the names of all who passed their SeeD exams. When I call your name, please enter the elevator at the end of the hallway and report to the headmaster's office on the third floor."

Everyone tensed, each anticipating the moment when their name was called.

"Hojo Darwin please step forward." Hojo quickly disappeared down the hallway, a bright smile on his face and his brown eyes shining in triumph.

"Miroku Saikai."

"Sango Almasy"

"Inuyasha Endo."

"Shippou Makayura. That is all." Shippou stopped at the end of the hallway, his eyes on Kagome as she buried her head in her arms, the tears she struggled not to shed burning his nose. He forgot about the elevator and kneeled in front of her, her arm outstretched and waiting. He stumbled backward when she flung herself at him, her arms wrapping around his shoulders as she continued to fight her disappointment. Neither noticed another attendant approach the first on, hand him a slip of paper and walked away.

"Oh, and Kagome Higurashi. Kagome Higurashi, step forward."

Kagome's head shot up from Shippou's shoulder, her eyes sparkling a light blue as they stood up and entered the elevator together. The attendant was the last to board and was the one to begin their ride to the third floor. The elevator stopped soon after starting and opened, revealing a lavish hallway decked in wooden accents and a burgundy carpet.

The attendant stepped aside so they could disembark and gestured to a set of heavy double doors. Inuyasha and Shippou opened them and everyone gasped at the lush office inside. The entire outer wall was made of glass, with an enormous desk sitting in front of it. Weapons of all shapes and styles were mounted on the walls beside them and the same burgundy carpet lead them toward the middle of the room where Headmaster Leonheart leaned against his desk and waited for them to step forward.

They lined up in the order they were called and saluted, with Hojo on the opposite end of Kagome. Shippou's tail briefly flicked against her leg, the giddiness in her heart enough to stir a giddiness in his own.

"You all are the six that passed? Not bad if I do say so myself," Squall said as he clapped his hands. "At ease cadets." He smiled as they relaxed but stayed in respectful readiness as he continued. "I'm proud of all of you. This is the most promising group this Garden's had in a while. I have here your dog tags and your ID cards. Both are to be kept on your person at all times."

He stood and walked down the line, making sure to shake the hands of each cadet before draping the dog tags over their heads and handing them their ID cards. Squall bowed his head when he reached Kagome, smiled back when she grinned at him and gave her the dog tags and a bit of advice. "Learn to control your temper," he whispered in her ear as he pressed her ID card into her hand. "You'll be able to be a better fighter once you can."

Kagome nodded in acceptance and came to attention with the others when he called it. "Now, last but not least is tonight's ball. You're SeeD uniforms are in your rooms already, so I suggest you rest up and calm yourselves down before attending the ball and dressing up for the first time. Alright," he said with a wave of his hand. "You guys can go."

They parted with a salute and descended to the first floor commons circle, each with dazed and happy looks on their faces before Inuyasha gave a lout war whoop.

"We're SeeDs!" he cheered as Sango and Kagome hugged each other. "It's about bloody time! Hot DAMN!!!"

"After the dirty trick they played on us, I think we deserve to be SeeDs," Shippou replied, then blushed when Kagome hugged him and kissed his cheek.

"OK guys enough goofing around," Miroku said as he held up his dog tags. "Let's see what ours say."

"Mine's says I'm a sniper, rank 13," Sango said as she read the upside down engravings around her neck. "What about you guys?"

"Close combat, rank 15," Shippou said proudly.

"Sniper, class 12," Miroku groaned. "I thought it would be something higher."

"What about you Kagome?" Sango asked as Kagome stared in open confusion at her tags. "What's yours say?"

"Mine says I'm a class 17."

"What?!" Inuyasha exploded before grabbing her tags and jerking them to his face. "How the fuck do you get to be ranked 17 when I'm only a 15?!"

"That's pretty high Kagome," Shippou said as he patted her back in congratulations. "Well done. And to think you were worried."

"Yeah, I kn-"

"How did you get to be higher than me?!" Inuyasha continued to vent. "It's not fair! I should be higher!"

"Why?" Kagome demanded as a crowd began to form. "Because I'm a girl!"

"No, you stupid bitch! Because you almost killed a guy!"

Kagome visibly winced, her eyes closed at the low blow as Shippou and the others glared at Inuyasha. They all expected her to do or say something, but she only turned her back and walked away without another word, her head hung and her dark eyes blurry.

"Damn it Inuyasha," Shippou snarled, his eyes flickering a light crimson as he glared at him. "You just _had _to say that didn't you? You couldn't go one day without being stupid. Hey Kagome!" he shouted as he sprinted away to catch up with the girl.

VIII

Squall observed the party around him, taking a moment to smile down at his wife's questioning gaze before catching a sense of deja vu. He glanced toward a nearby corner and smiled at a familiar sight leaning against a wall. "Excuse me," he said to the group around him. "I'll be right back."

He walked up to her slowly and grinned as she griped about her uniform completely unaware of his approach. "I can't believe this," Kagome grumbled as she tugged insistently at the shorts of her SeeD uniform. "I'm so gonna hu-"

"Kagome?"

Kagome looked up and smiled as Squall leaned against a nearby pillar. "Hi headmaster. How are you?"

"I could be better," he admitted. "I'm stuck here, watching one of my best students squander the night away by complaining about her uniform."

"I'm sorry," Kagome apologized guiltily. "I'm just hate these shorts! They're so uncomfortable."

"Dance with me private," Squall requested with his hand extended toward her. "We'll discuss what's to be done about your uniform then."

Kagome accepted reluctantly and allowed him to lead her to the dance floor and into the dance. "So," Kagome asked at the middle of the waltz. "Is there a chance I can get some pants Headmaster?"

"I'm not entirely sure," Squall admitted as they whirled past another couple. "I'm not in charge of the uniform distribution. I can make a request, but I doubt you'll get the pants you want."

"Awwwww," Kagome groaned miserably. Squall gave a friendly chuckle at her disappointment. "I know your disappointed, but you may have to get used to it. If it's any comfort, you rarely have to wear it."

"Yeah Headmaster," Kagome mumbled as the waltz ended. "It's a real comfort."

"Excuse me Headmaster," Kouga began as he tapped on Squall's shoulder. "Can I cut in?"

'Oh no,' Kagome moaned to herself as Squall bowed and stepped aside. 'Not him. Not now. I'm so not in the mood.'

"So how's my girl?" Kouga grinned as he led them into the next dance. "Still mad at me?"

"No," Kagome sighed with a shake of her head. She glanced across the floor at the buffet table and found Shippou and Inuyasha arguing. She laughed to herself when Shippou's tail whirled around and whipped out. Inuyasha fell silent seconds later with a confused look on his face before complete fury made his hair stand on end. Kouga glanced over his shoulder at them and shook his head.

"Stupid mutt," he growled in contempt. "You won't have to deal with him once we're mated."

"Look Kouga," Kagome began as she stopped and backed away from him. "You're nice and all, but I don't think we'd be good together."

"Yes we would," Kouga stated before he wrapped his tail around her waist and jerked her back to him. "You'll see. We'll have to get my dad's approval, but I'm pretty sure he won't refuse."

"That's great Kouga, but like I said," Kagome insisted. "I just don't like you that way. You're a great friend, so I think we should stay that way. Why ruin it by trying to be something we shouldn't?"

"Who says we shouldn't?" Kouga demanded hotly. "Whoever they are they're stupid. You're my woman and that's that...at least, you will be once I come back from assignment."

"You're leaving?" Kagome asked, hoping that the relief she felt didn't show in her voice. Kouga nodded. "Yup. I'm being assigned to the white SeeD ship near Esthar. That's what this means." He pointed to a silver bar on the left side of his uniform jacket. "See? I'm gonna be gone for at least six months."

"Oh, that's too bad," Kagome replied, feigning disappointment when someone tapped Kouga on his shoulder. Kouga turned and growled, ready to turn down the gentleman when a subtle growl came from a few inches above him.

"Excuse me Higurashi," Sesshoumaru said, completely ignoring Kouga as he none too gently shoved him aside. "Do you mind?" Kouga shot back. Sesshoumaru glared at him a moment, then grasped Kagome's hand and led her toward a different part of the dance floor.

"Annoying pest," Sesshoumaru growled slightly. Kagome merely stood by, shocked as he led her into the dance. Her gaze momentarily flickered from his face to the furry white...thing, draped over his shoulder. It swayed slightly, of it's own accord or because of Sesshoumaru's movements Kagome couldn't tell.

"Um," Kagome said after a few moments. "Why are you dancing with me?"

"Would you rather I left you to the wolf?" Sesshoumaru asked.

"Oh, so you're trying to rescue me again huh?" Kagome huffed in annoyance. "Thanks, but no thanks. I don't need any help."

"Yes, I remember," Sesshoumaru assured her. "As a matter of fact, you were rather rude about it the last time we talked."

"That's because you were trying to cause brain damage," Kagome retorted with an angry huff. "You know what? Forget it." She moved to walk away from him and gasped when he grabbed her by her elbow and dragged her back to his side. "Hey!"

"I am not trying to fight with you today," Sesshoumaru told her as they returned to the waltz. "I actually wanted to congratulate you."

"Really?" Kagome said, a light blush staining her cheeks. "Wow, that's um...thanks. Hey," she said as she pointed to his left lapel. "You got your captain's bar. Congrats."

"Thank you." Sesshoumaru gave the golden bar with a red stone in the center a passing glance and brushed her thanks aside. "Are you looking forward to your first mission?" He frowned when she laughed, her shoulders shaking and her hands over her mouth. "And just what is so funny?"

"It's not you, I promise," Kagome replied as she fanned herself. "It's just that, I doubt anyone would want me on a team with them after the way I handled Kouga. I don't think I'll go on assignment for a long time."

"I disagree," Sesshoumaru responded. "Were you not the highest ranked of the cadets that participated in the test this year?"

"Yeah-hey, how did you find out about that?" Kagome demanded and frowned when he smirked. "Everyone knows. After all, Inuyasha shouted your rank to half of the commons."

"Oh yea, that is right," Kagome replied dismally, remembering the fight the two got into earlier. "Still, that doesn't mean the headmaster's going to think I'm ready for a mission. I bet he thinks I bother him enough about my uniform."

"And what is wrong with your uniform?" Sesshoumaru asked as he looked down at her. "It is the standard issue, is it not?"

"Well yea but I hate shorts and skirts," Kagome griped. "I'm never comfortable in them. How am I supposed to work my blade if I'm stuck in a skirt."

"I see..." Sesshoumaru mumbled as an idea suddenly blossomed. "So...you are uncomfortable in them."

"No, it's not that," Kagome retorted angrily. "I just don't like them."

"Then perhaps you'll be willing to make a small wager."

"What kind?" Kagome asked, her eyebrow raised curiously.

"Just a small one," Sesshoumaru assured her and waited for her to relent.

"Fine," Kagome nodded. "Let's hear it."

"You're to wear a skirt the first day of your assignment if you're assigned to a team before the end of the month."

"And what do I get if I win?" Kagome wondered. Sesshoumaru shrugged. "Whatever you wish, so long as it's reasonable."

"OK then..." Kagome thought for a few moments, allowing Sesshoumaru to lightly spin her before an evil smirk graced her features. "I know..."

'I am not going to like this,' Sesshoumaru determined as she smiled up at him.

"If I win, you have to be my personal slave for two weeks."

'Slave? Me? Surely she is joking.' One look at her proved him wrong, and he mentally smacked himself for starting this in the first place. "Fine. So be it."

"Alright!" Kagome chirped, already imagining Sesshoumaru and the torture she was going to unleash at the end of the month.

"Do not be so confidant Higurashi," Sesshoumaru sternly reprimanded before turning at a tap on his shoulder. "Hello Headmaster," he greeted as Kagome waved from behind him. "Are you better now sir?" Kagome asked.

Squall shook his head. "Unfortunately, things have become worse. I need to speak to you Captain Endo. It's urgent."

Kagome nodded when they excused themselves, frowning slightly as she remembered the headmaster's urgency. 'Hmmm...I wonder what that was about,' she asked herself. She shrugged it aside when Shippou walked up to her, then hugged the startled kitsune and dragged him onto the dance floor without another thought.

IX

Sesshoumaru closed the door to the headmaster's office and followed the uneasy human to the desk in the middle of the room. "What is it Headmaster?" he asked when Squall gestured for him to take a seat. Sesshoumaru did so and waited while Squall reached for a folder on the desk behind him. "What is so important?"

"I'm giving you your first assignment as captain," Squall told him as he handed Sesshoumaru the folder. "It's a small one, but it's still important." Sesshoumaru read through the folder as Squall briefed him on the situation.

"I see," Sesshoumaru muttered once he finished. "And my team?"

"We're sending you and two more people," Squall told him before tossing over another folder. "That folder is for Private Almasy. She's a sniper class. You're going to need her."

"And the other?" Sesshoumaru asked. Squall shrugged. "That's for you to decide."

"Really?" 'Hm...' Sesshoumaru said to himself. 'I believe I know just the person to request.'

X

Kagome used her new ID card to unlock her door, already missing Shippou's familiar company as she walked into the empty room. The new SeeDs were assigned new rooms of their own, and though Shippou was on one side and Miroku on the other, she still missed him walking around tinkering with whatever little electronic he happened to get his paws on.

'Oh well,' Kagome sighed as she flopped down on the bed. 'At least this place has it's own bathroom.' She looked up at a knock at her door. "Now what," she mumbled as she opened it. She barely stepped out of the way as Sango barged in with two yellow folders in her hands.

"Kagome guess what?" she cried before grabbing the younger girl and squeezing the life from her. Kagome struggled and gasped for air as Sango barreled on. "I got my first assignment!"

"Really! That's great!" Kagome squeaked out. "But Sango, I need to breathe."

"Oh, right, sure." Sango let her go and smiled as Kagome dusted herself off. "I just got my assignment from the office. Oh, you've got something too."

"So when do you leave?" Kagome asked as she tore the folder open.

"Tomorrow morning. This is so cool! The only downfall is that-"

"Sesshoumaru's your captain," Kagome breathed as she read her folder. "Yeah," Sango said. "How'd you know?"

"Because he's mine. Dear God, how did I let him talk me into that stupid bet?"

(End Chapter)

Not bad for a fourth chapter huh? I'm pretty happy with it myself. I feel good. Just in case you haven't noticed, Kagome's a lot more stable than she's been in the last couple of chapters. She's a near adult now, so she's thinking a little more instead of going with her emotions. That doesn't mean she won't blow up on someone now...she's just a lot calmer than she used to be.

Sesshoumaru's definitely interested, but it's not love. (Shakes head) Nope, we're not there yet. It's _wayyyyy_ too early for that sort of thing. Sesshoumaru's interest is pretty much the interest he had in her when he was still at the school, except now he has a chance to study her. She's like an odd little firefly who keeps running into a window. He can't quite understand why she does what she does but he finds it fascinating all the same. Oh, the preview is below.

Inuyasha: I just don't understand. I mean, what sane person would want Kagome _and_ Sango with them on a mission? It's just asking for trouble. Well...now that I think about it...Sesshoumaru deserves a little trouble, the prick. Heh. That reminds me of the first time we met Kagome. That girl's always into something. Shippou's moping around now without her. That kit is starting to worry the hell out of me, but Kikyou won't let me hurt him. Hey, didn't Sesshoumaru say something about going to Winhill on a train?

There aren't any trains to Winhill.

Poor bastard....Hahahahahahahaha....

Chapter Four: The New Monster Hunters of Winhill

(Responses):

**And Special Thanks To**: C.M.S-12, angel16, Strawberrylover, ChIbI rIn, NLShadowCat711, Skitzoflame, Chibi Yuffiel, and Wake Robin! Thanks for reviewing you guys!

Choyan: I tried FFX but it made me so mad! I guess it's like that for all of my games. Anyway, Squall doesn't die at the end of FFVIII. I think you're thinking of Tidus from FFX. I think so anyway. Thanks for the review!

jschu25: Thanks! Yeah, Thanksgiving was great. My beta and I sat up and played 'Guess that Song' while our turkeys baked. Thanks for the review!

Gray Wolf Demon: Well, she's better able to defend herself now. That's a good thing because she's got a lot of hard work ahead of her. Poor kid.

Terra Mecca Solace: Thanks but I can't take the credit for the idea. This first sparked the imagination of RPG-Girl, but she took hers off. Hopefully she'll repost hers because it was a great one.

MizuiroSnow: Nope, Naraku's not here. There will be someone evil introduced in the next few chapters that will tie with both the Inuyasha and FFVIII series. Kikyou is good, if a little dinky. Sorry, I can't pair Shippou and Rin together. There's too much of a major age difference.

Larka the White Wolf: Thanks a lot. The idea to put FFVIII and IY together isn't mine but another author named RPG-Girl. The story idea slapped me upside the head late one night. Yeah, it is a little HP which is amazing because I've never seen a movie or read a book of that series. Thanks for the compliment. I like stories that have a weird twist myself. Makes them more entertaining.

Angeltiger: Yeah, I can't wait either. I'm rather glad the first couple of chapters are over so the real story can go on. Poor Kagome. It's too bad her temper's so...short. It's going to get her into a lot of trouble.

AkuAkumu: Yup, this is another S/K story. Sorry, but I can do a compromise of a sort. We'll see how it works out ok?

ivei: (Blush) Thanks. I'm glad I was useful.

NoLabel: Actually, it's not Inu-chan that's in love with her. (Evil grin) But there is someone other than Kouga and Sesshoumaru. I'm so sorry. This isn't an I/K fic. I know that the high school fic I have planned is an I/K/S though. I know you like them but for some reason all the fics are becoming S/Ks. As of right now, Sesshoumaru doesn't have any feelings for her other than curiosity. Her behavior is radically different from any other human female he's ever encountered, and he's always been curious about her in the first place. Actually, I was all set to have Kagome use a different weapon, but so many people wanted her to use a gunblade that I just couldn't say no. Even my beta thought it was a great idea. Zell is still single (posts an ad in the Garden website) Quistis is too. Did I say I beat the game three times...heh. Actually, it was two. I'm working on the third time now. Oh, as for the Sorceress' Memorial (where that stupid ring is to get Doomtrain) drive east from Esthar to the Lunar Gate. Drive west from there (trust me, you're going to want a car and some fuel for this one) until you get to the little piece of land in the middle of that giant lake. The memorial should be in the middle of that piece of land. To be honest with you, you really should have gone there before you went to the space station but who cares right? Hey, holler back for a hint anytime! I'll be more than happy to help out!

ReginaLucifer: Rin's role isn't exactly important now, but hers and her sister's will be later on in the story.

Yume no Zencho: Yeah, it's been done to death too. I kinda figured I'd do it for this fic though, since I haven't tried it with the others. Believe it or not, I'm going to try to stay on top of this one while I work on the other fics. There aren't that many chapters, so I figured I'd keep going. Yeah, Kikyou's nice but she's kinda dinky. Kouga's not the only one that's going to catch a bad break.

Fire Phoenix: Kikyou is going to have a role, but it's more like a tiny, almost nonexistent one. Yeah, Kagome's going to be one kick ass chick, but even kick ass chicks need a little help every now and again. I'm not too sure about her and her parents though. Can you really tell? Good. I hope it's subtle enough though. I don't want anyone expecting them to fall all over each other and mate like rabbits anytime soon.


	5. The New Monster Hunters of Winhill

CoDisclaimer: No, I don't own it. So there! You guys can't sue now! Oh, and this chapter includes a few more gunblade names, again thanks to Tessa3!

Chapter Four: The New Monster Hunters of Winhill

I

"Huh?" Sango said before Kagome flopped down face first onto her bed. "What are you talking about? What bet?"

"Oh man," Kagome moaned as she grabbed a pillow and held it over her head. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you."

"How bout you tell me and we cross the bridge from there?" Sango suggested as she sat down beside her. She listened patiently as Kagome told her about her earlier conversation with Sesshoumaru, and the bet she so foolishly agreed to. Kagome peered at Sango from underneath the fluff when she finished, watching as her friend bit clean through her lip to keep from laughing outright.

"So you're telling me," Sango breathed as Kagome sat up and glared at her. "That you were stupid enough to make a bet with Sesshoumaru in the first place? Not only that, but you made one with him knowing that he's a captain now and can pick his own team?" Kagome blushed at that, having forgotten until then that as captain Sesshoumaru could insure that her chances of winning would be slim to none.

"Just great," Kagome groaned and whopped Sango upside the head with her pillow when she finally caved into her giggles. "Once again, further proof of why me and dogs just don't mix."

"Oh don't act like that," Sango comforted when she finally calmed down. "Just pick a skirt and..." She glared sharply at Kagome's sheepish face, then said, "You don't own a skirt do you?"

"Um...no." Kagome frowned when Sango collapsed again, this time sprawled across her bed and her chuckles loud enough to be heard down the hallway. "What?!"

"You really messed up this time," Sango giggled as she raised her arm to avoid another blow. "How are you going to get a skirt before tomorrow morning? You do know that's when we're supposed to report to him right?"

Kagome froze mid-blow, then flopped backward onto the bed and groaned. "Oh man. I'm screwed. Hey, I know!" she exclaimed as she sat up. "I can say I'm sick!"

"What?"

"Yeah," Kagome steam-rolled ahead as she dug around her closet for something. "I'll just fake it. Put a water bottle underneath my bed, use a Fire and a Water spell to make steam so it looks like I'm sweating. It'll work."

"No it won't," Sango shook her head and ducked a flying water bottle as it sailed toward her head. "Think about it Kagome. Sesshoumaru would be able to smell the lie."

"Oh great," Kagome moaned from the innards of the closet before shutting the door behind her and closing herself inside. "I'm doomed."

"Now you know I'm going to help you," Sango said as she stood off the bed and walked toward the closet. She sat down on the floor beside it, her back leaned against the wall with her arms wrapped around her knees. "As a matter of fact, I think I have an idea."

The closet door slid open and Kagome's head appeared in the opening. "Really?" she asked. Sango nodded. "Really. I think you should take that bet and turn it against him."

"How?" Kagome wondered. "Make him wear the skirt."

"As much as I'd like to see that-"

"You and half the Garden," Kagome snickered, then quieted when Sango glared at her. "Sorry."

"Thank you. Anyway, I think we should dress you up a bit." Sango smiled, already sorting through her wardrobe for something appropriate. "I haven't seen you in a skirt since we were nine. It'd be nice to see you dress like a girl for once."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Kagome snapped as she stepped out of the closet and glowered down at her. Sango grinned and stood up, her hands up in appeasement. "Chill out. What I meant was that you're always in pants and t-shirts. If not that then you're in your uniform. It'd be a cool change to see you dress pretty, that's all."

"I don't know," Kagome mumbled while she closed her closet shut and sat back down on her bed. "I'm not shaped like you Sango."

"Yeah I know," Sango nodded. "You've got killer long legs and a tiny waist. You know," she said as she sat down beside her. "Models are tall."

"Guys are tall," Kagome grumbled back.

"Beauty contestants are tall." She winced when Kagome growled at her and scratched the back of her head. "Ok, that was a bad example. What I'm trying to say is that you're a beautiful person, but you hide it like someone's going to come up and steal it. You do all that training and for what?"

"To be a better specialist," Kagome answered quickly. "Why else would I?"

"Well yeah it's obviously that," Sango replied with a wave of her hand. "But Kagome...would it hurt to enjoy being pretty for once? Please...." she begged, her hands clasped in front of her and her eyes squinted shut. "Pretty please...?" She pouted and gave Kagome a large, brown eyed puppy dog look that she knew the younger girl couldn't refuse.

"Oh for the love of-Fine," Kagome relented with a heavy sigh. "But you have to help."

"Like I was going to do anything else. Now wait here," Sango said before she jumped up and ran out the door. "I'll be right back."

Kagome waited for what she felt had to be thirty minutes, then decided to start packing for the long trip. 'All the report said was to pack for at least two weeks. I'm going to pack for one extra week just in case.' She jumped when Sango finally barged into the room, with Miroku, Shippou and a load of clothes following along behind her. Kagome gaped, a pair of boyshorts loosely in her hands before she quickly wadded them up and tossed them into her duffle bag.

"Sango!" Kagome exclaimed when both gentlemen tossed their load onto her bed and (making sure to wave to Kagome first) left the room and shut the door behind them. "What's this? What's going on?"

"Well, this is just a few things I thought we could look through," Sango replied before shifting through the mountain of clothes. "Shippou and Miroku'll come back later to grab what we don't need."

"But Sango," Kagome protested. "It's not going to take that long to find something...will it?"

"Of course it will!" Sango nodded before tossing a red shirt over her head and toward the chair sitting idly in a nearby corner. "That's why I'm going to spend the night in here. That way we'll find something perfect for that jerk tomorrow and you can help me pack at the same time."

"Ok then," Kagome said before clearing a space free and dropping a couple of ammunition holsters into the bottom of the bag. Sango watched her a moment, then gestured toward the rest of the room. "Hey Kagome? Where's the ammo holster Kikyou gave you? You know, the one she said a guy in Dollet made special for her?"

"Why?" Kagome asked as she reached inside a nearby dresser drawer, pulled it free and handed it to her.

"Oh, just an idea," Sango replied with a wicked grin. "You'll see..."

II

Shippou leaned against the wall, he, Inuyasha and Miroku patiently waiting by the front gate. They had been waiting since sun up, having forgone breakfast to make sure they saw Kagome and Sango off. Shippou glanced up eagerly as someone approached them but deflated when Kikyou shyly waved at them.

"Hey guys," she greeted after giving Inuyasha a quick hug. "How's it going? Have they left yet?"

"If they had, would we still be standing here?" Shippou snipped testily and turned his head to watch the awakening wildlife. Kikyou blinked in surprise, then turned a questioning glance to Inuyasha and Miroku.

"Excuse him Kikyou," Miroku said. "He's a bit upset about Kagome leaving. Those two have been inseparable since before they arrived at the Garden, so he's understandably upset."

"It's about time somebody did something about that," Inuyasha griped with a yawn. "Those two have been attached to the hip for as long as I can remember. Next thing you know, they're gonna start dressing and acting alike. Hell, he may do like she does and keep a tube of lip gloss inside his ammo pack."

"For one dumbass," Shippou retorted with a growl. "I don't even use a gun. Two; we've been dressing alike for years. What do you call the Garden uniforms? Jeez, you can be so dumb sometimes."

"You know what?" Inuyasha growled as he stalked toward the irrate kitsune. "I'm tired of your mouth. Get this straight Shippou: Once Kagome leaves, there's nothing, and I mean nothing to stop me from beating your ass."

"I'd like to see you try it Dog Boy," Shippou taunted and cracked his knuckles. "There's nothing between us but air and opportunity."

"Boys, boys," Kikyou shouted as she and Miroku stood between the two youkai. "Just stop. Is this how you guys want Sango and Kagome to remember you?"

"She's right," Miroku agreed. "You're behaving like kids! Grow up already!"

"Besides..." Kikyou reached inside a small pouch on her shoulder and brought out a white paper bag. "Wouldn't you rather eat doughnuts than fight? I've got enough for everyone..."

"Fine," Inuyasha growled as he turned from Shippou and held out his hand. Shippou growled something like a temporary peace and silently received Kikyou's offering, nodding his head in thanks and quietly chewing as everyone else fell into conversation around him.

"I wonder what's taking them so long," Miroku said as he flipped open his com-phone and checked the time. "Sango said they had to leave at 10. It's 9:38 now and Sesshoumaru's not even here yet."

"He's coming though," Inuyasha replied after sniffing and wrinkling his nose. "He's almost here."

They glanced up the stairs just as Sesshoumaru appeared at the top of them, his head down and his eyes distant as he descended the steps toward them. His right hand tightly held his duffle bag strap, the bag bumping against the back of his legs. His coat was left unbuttoned, with a royal blue button up shirt underneath and his left hand inside one of the pockets of his black denim jeans. His hair was back in the usual ponytail and Inuyasha noticed that his tail was nowhere to be seen as Sesshoumaru finally looked up and acknowledged them.

"As flattered as I am," Sesshoumaru said as he stopped before them and sat his duffle bag at his feet. "I don't believe I needed such fanfare to begin this mission."

"It's not for you," Inuyasha grumbled with a snort. "We're waiting on Kagome and Sango. Have you seen them by the way?"

"No," Sesshoumaru shook his head as he adjusted the black leather holster at his side and looked at his watch. "They don't have long to arrive either."

"Hey, isn't that them?" Kikyou asked as she pointed up the stairs toward the commons circle. The others looked ahead and shrugged at the two girls walking toward them.

"No, I don't think so," Miroku said as he shook his head. "I guess we're stuck waiting. Oh well. I'm sure they'll get here soon."

)-(

"Sango, I feel like an idiot," Kagome grumbled as she nervously dusted off the front of her outfit. Sango shook her head in disagreement and knocked her hands away.

"Stop that. You're so wound up," Sango told her. "Just relax and stand still so I can make sure you've got everything."

"What else could there be?" Kagome moaned miserably and grimaced when Sango began to walk around her. Sango eyed her critically, then nodded in approval and gave Kagome a quick hug. "You look great!" Sango chirped. "I told you you would!"

"Yeah," Kagome mumbled as she glanced at herself in the mirror. The long sleeved white scoop neck sweater was fine with her (even if it was a little low), but the black pleated miniskirt made her feel self-conscious. She turned to the side, bluish green eyes studying the silver strappy heeled sandals Sango insisted she wear. "You do realize that there's still snow on the ground right?" Kagome asked as she glanced at Sango's mirror image.

"Yeah, I know," Sango mumbled, a pair of black elastic hair bands between her teeth inhibiting her speech. "But it's not like we're going to be walking a long way anyway."

"I can't wield my gunblade in this," Kagome continued to complain as Sango parted her hair down the back of her head and flipped the two separate sections over her shoulder. "What happens if we're attacked?"

"Where?" Sango asked before running a brush through the right side of Kagome's hair. "You mean, like attacked in the car? I don't think that's possible."

"What about stray winds?" Kagome tried again and winced as Sango pulled her hair into two low pigtails. She sighed while Sango flipped them over her shoulders, the obsidian strands free to cascade over her breasts to the middle of her ribs before starting on her own hair.

"You know you can't talk yourself out of this," Sango told her as she unrolled her hair and flung it up in a quick ponytail. "You're the one that made the bet."

"I wish someone would have smacked me upside my head last night," Kagome sighed miserably, then reached for her duffle bag and her coat. She eyed Sango's blue jeans and crimson blouse wistfully. "I'd rather have on what you're wearing."

"Stop complaining," Sango scolded. "You look amazing. He's so going to regret making that bet with you."

"Um...is that a good thing?" Kagome asked, then followed Sango out the door. Sango waited while Kagome slid her ID card through the lock, both of them waiting for the tumble of locks and the tiny beep that signaled it secure before continuing down the hallway.

"Of course it's a good thing," Sango assured her. "I tell you what? How about we-"

"Sango?"

"Yeah?"

"Um...did we just forget our weapons, or is it just me?"

"Oh crap!" They sprinted back to Kagome's room, both of them scolding themselves for being so empty-headed as Kagome fumbled with the door lock. Sango quickly grabbed her holster, a brown western version with room for her rifle, ammunition, and any potions or spells she may decided she needed for the journey. She waited for Kagome while she strapped her gunblade and holster in place before grabbing a black ammo pack off her desk and sitting down on in the chair in front of it.

"Is that the one Kikyou gave you?" she asked while Kagome kicked off her right shoe and slid the loaded pack up her leg. The pack looked more like a garter belt than the traditional ammo packs, with the bullets held separately in tiny sleeves around her leg. Kagome nodded and stood up when it stopped at mid thigh, just an inch or two from the hemline of her skirt before stepping back in the shoe and locking the door once again.

"I can't believe we did that," Kagome blushed while Sango laughed beside her. "I mean, how dumb was that?"

"I know!" Sango giggled. "Ok, let's do a quick check and make sure we haven't left anything else. You got any extra ammo packs?"

"Yup," Kagome said and patted her duffle bag. "Never leave home without them."

"You got that right," Sango grinned as they left the dormitory wing and stepped out onto the commons circle. Kagome froze instantly, automatically conscious of herself once again. "Come on Kagome," Sango urged her forward with a light hand on her elbow. "We're going to be late. Just image how bad that'll look to be late for our first mission."

"Yeah, you're right," Kagome nodded, nervous peacock blue eyes focused only on her friend. "Ok Sango. Sorry."

"No problem. Now...you got underwear?"

"Of course," Kagome laughed as they continued around the circle. She and Sango ignored the other students as they made their way toward the front gate, though Kagome could feel the stares of the other male students as they leered at her. She held her nervousness inside and answered Sango's questions, silently grateful for her friend's distraction as the Garden directory finally cam into view.

"Jeez, I wish we had woke up earlier," Sango complained when her stomach growled. "What's wrong with your alarm?"

"Me," Kagome smirked, then reached inside her bag for a twinkie. "Sorry, but this is all I've got."

"Where'd you get it?" Sango asked as she ripped through the clear wrapper and attempted to inhale the cake in one bite.

"I keep them in my room," Kagome explained. "I've been doing it for so long now. Shippou and I used to have all kinds of junk food in our room."

"You know, if you ever got busted for that you two could have ended up doing janitorial duty."

"Yeah, I know," Kagome winked and she and Sango burst into laughter at old memories. "Ok, here we are," Sango said as she threw the empty wrapper into a nearby trashcan. "You ready?"

Kagome took a deep breath, squared her shoulders and nodded. "As ready as I'll ever be," she replied. Sango nodded. "Me too. Let's go."

Sango waited anxiously, though on the outside she was calm as they descended the stairs. She caught Miroku's eyes and smiled at him first, then at everyone else as they admired her handiwork on Kagome. 'I just knew that skirt would be perfect for her,' she thought as she glanced at her skittish friend. A light blush stained her cheeks from the attention, both from the other students and from their friends in front of them.

Kagome and Sango stopped before Sesshoumaru and saluted as ordered, their right hands raised to their foreheads with their left resting at their sides. "You two are late," he told them, his gaze frigid and calculating as he glanced over Kagome's attire. 'Not bad,' he thought to himself as he discreetly glanced at long, tanned legs that stemmed from her skirt. 'A little short in the back, but not bad all the same.'

"You two will do well to be on time from now on."

"Yes sir captain," they responded quickly, though they both inwardly snickered.

"Higurashi!"

Sesshoumaru glanced up, Kagome and Sango still at attention as Headmaster Leonheart ran to catch up with them. "Good morning Captain Endo," he greeted with a smile, then turned to Kagome and called her and Sango out of attention. "Kagome, have you forgotten about your insignia?"

"Oh no!" Kagome exclaimed with a light slap to her forehead. "I'm so sorry Headmaster! I meant to come by your office last night, but I forgot."

"I see why," Headmaster Leonheart responded as he eyed her with an amused smirk. "It's going to be a little hard to fight in that, isn't it?"

"Hopefully not sir," Kagome sighed. "Oh, but I figured out my insignia last night. It's this." She grabbed her jacket from her bag and held it up, her finger pointing to the burning cross embroidered on the material.

"Alright then," he nodded as he pulled a notepad from his pocket and scribbled it down. "Sango? What about you? Have you named yours yet?"

"Kirara, Headmaster," Sango answered with a nod. "Sorry about taking so long."

"Not a problem. Now, I'm sure your captain wishes to tell you a few things so I'll be going." He began his way back to the Garden, stopping once to wish them luck before disappearing. Sesshoumaru picked up his duffle bag and gestured ahead toward the outer gate.

"The car is out front. Say your goodbyes now and meet me there."

They nodded before he left, both girls suddenly finding themselves surrounded and questions of all kinds flying toward them. "Hey," Sango called out. "One at a time please."

"Just what in the hell are you dressed like that for?" Inuyasha demanded and winced when Kikyou boxed his ears. "Ow! What?"

"Be nice Inuyasha," she scolded and grinned at Kagome. "I think you look nice Kagome."

"Me too," Miroku agreed before grabbing Sango by the waist and kissing her forehead. "But you cannot surpass my Sango."

"Shut up you perv," Sango blushed and lightly whacked him upside the head while the others laughed. Miroku grinned and kissed her again. "Be safe, alright?"

"OK," Sango nodded. "You too." She and Kagome said their goodbyes to everyone else and began to walk away when Kagome whirled around, jumped up and threw her arms around Shippou's neck.

"I'm going to miss you Shipp," she whispered into his shirt collar. Shippou eagerly hugged her back, his tail tightly winding around them as he lightly tugged a pigtail and smiled.

"I'm going to miss you too. Hey, make sure to call. Be careful huh?"

"You got it," Kagome smiled back. She gave him a brief squeeze and sprinted down the pathway to catch up with Sango, leaving the others to sadly stare after her.

"Do you think they'll be alright?" Kikyou meekly asked. Inuyasha 'Feh'ed and led the way back to the Garden. "I'm not worried about them," he smirked in amusement. "It's Sesshoumaru that ought to be scared. Those two are nearly as bad as Kagome and Shippou together. Something's bound to catch fire."

"That's not very nice," Shippou heard Kikyou reprimand as he sank deeper into his own thoughts. He sighed wistfully and turned back to the outer gate, his senses open and eager as the faint scent of water lilies faded on ths cool wind.

'Good luck Kagome,' Shippou thought as he ran a hand through his hair and turned to follow the others. 'I know this is what you wanted, and you're only moving away from the Garden...

'But I can't help but feel that you're moving away from me too...'

III

Sango gazed out the back window, cinnamon eyes distant and unfocused. Her car mates sat in a similar state of near unconsciousness, with Sesshoumaru driving and Kagome in the front seat beside him. All were trapped deep within their own minds, so neither were expecting the-

Ka-THUNK!

CLUNK!

Ker-POW!!!

"What's that?" Sango exclaimed as the car puttered and thunked to a stop. "What's going on?"

"It sounds like something came loose in the engine," Kagome replied, then groaned along with Sesshoumaru when white smoke began to drift from underneath the hood. "Great. Just great."

Sesshoumaru stepped out of the car, Kagome and Sango following close behind. "Now what Sesshoumaru?" Sango asked while he opened the hood and waved away the blinding smoke that billowed out. "We're like sitting ducks out here like this."

"Higurashi, can you fix this?"

"I don't know," Kagome shrugs. "I think I can get it running again, but fixing it is another thing entirely."

"Then do so. Almasy, up on the roof."

Kagome and Sango split up, with Sango climbing to the roof of the car with her shotgun cradled in her lap and Kagome opening the trunk and rifling inside for her duffle bag. She popped out, this time with a silver tool belt strapped to her waist.

"Where is your weapon?" Sesshoumaru asked when she stepped past him and pulled a flashlight out of her belt.

"Oh, it's in the trunk," Kagome replied as she leaned over the front and looked around the smoke to the blackened parts below her. "I can't wear it and my tool belt."

"Well do be quick about it Higurashi," Sesshoumaru told her as she braced her knee on the bumper and leaned into the engine compartment. Her jacket rose to her waist, and the back of her skirt rose to just below her upper thigh. Sango watched Sesshoumaru stare at her friend, a brief comment about dogs and backsides causing a soft giggle to escape her lips unchecked. She glanced away seconds before he glared up at her and looked back when he turned around to face the plains, with his gaze wary and his right hand resting on the hilt of his gunblade.

'You know,' Sango mused to herself as Kagome knocked and banged below her. 'I'm going to have to put Kagome in a skirt more often. The results are just too funny.'

"Are you paying attention Almasy?" she heard Sesshoumaru call.

"Yes sir Sesshoumaru," Sango responded. 'Heh, I doubt you are though,' Sango smirked, unaware of her unknown visitor until-

"I assure you private, I'm paying attention," Sesshoumaru growled from below. "And if you were, then you would see that we have company."

"Huh?" Sango looked to the left where he pointed and gaped at the four bite bugs heading their way. "Right," Sango replied sheepishly before loading her gun and pointing it toward the insects. Four quick blasts immediately blew them back, and Sango grinned down smugly as they disappeared. "How's that?" she cheered.

"Not bad," Sesshoumaru admitted as he unsheathed the dark blade at his side. "However, what are you planning to do about them?"

"Them?" Sango turned back just as Kagome looked up. Both gaped at not one but two T-rexuars, watching as they stumbled from woods at their right side, glared at the trio and roared. "Oh," Sango breathed as Kagome stood upright. "That's not good."

"Keep working Higurashi," Sesshoumaru commanded, then snapped his fingers. An enormous wall of ice formed around them, the Blizzaga spell lasting only seconds under the dinosaurs' fury. "And Almasy-"

"I'm on it!" Sango shouted and reloaded her gun with nitrogen ammunition. She stood up and fired off a single shot, unable to do more when Sesshoumaru leapt into her line of fire. She held the gun steady for when he finally moved from one monster to the other and fired off another round. The bullets pierced the dinosaur's leathery scales and another roar of pure agony pierced the air.

Sango winced at the sound of metal connecting with flesh and grimaced when a scaly clawed arm landed inches from the car. 'Oh, that's gotta hurt,' Sango groaned and glanced down at Kagome. "Hey Kagome-girl! How's it goin'?"

"It's goin'!" Kagome hollered over the sounds of battle. "I'm telling you Sesshoumaru, you got jipped! This thing wasn't meant to get to the Garden, no less get to it and come back!"

"Just get it started Higurashi!" he growled as he parried one of the T-rexuar's strikes, ducked the other one, stabbed his gunblade into it's side and sliced through the entire right side of it's body. It shrieked, clawing insistently at the inu youkai attached to it before a single shotgun blast rendered it lifeless.

Kagome turned as it fell, her eyes widening at the large hole in the middle of its forehead. "Holy crap," she whispered. "Hey Sango!"

"What?!" Sango hollered back before letting loose a few more rounds. "I'm kinda busy you know!"

"Get it the car and try to start it!"

"OK!" Sango fired one more round and quit the roof, effortlessly sliding through the driver's side window and into the seat while Sesshoumaru dealt with the last monster. She turned the key and pumped the gas, her fingers reddening from the tension as the car refused to start. "No go Kagome!"

"Keep trying!" 'Now what?' Kagome asked herself and stood back. She weighed the wrench in her hands, gave one last shout to Sango and quickly struck the side of the engine. The car sputtered and stammered to life, the engine purred like a kitten before Kagome slammed the hood shut and scrambled for the inside of the car.

"Hey captain!" she shouted at Sesshoumaru. "We've fixed the car...sort of," she mumbled under her breath. Sango moved to the back and Kagome replaced her in the driver's seat. She thought to blow the horn while Sango rolled down the window and pointed the end of her gun out, but thought better of it when she remembered how sensitive youkai ears tended to be.

Sesshoumaru glanced back at the car and, after Kagome shut her door, quickly snapped his fingers and dodged the T-rexuar's next attack. The dinosaur stumbled back when the wind around them began to stir, the frigid northern winds wrapping around Sesshoumaru and lifting him from the ground. Tiny snowflakes fluttered together underneath him, taking form and shape until he sat cross-legged on the shoulder of a giant female GF. She was as powdery blue as the sky above them, and she cast crimson eyes to Sesshoumaru before lifting her hands toward the clouds. Brilliant white light began to build above her head until a great white ball glowed between her hands. She dropped it quickly, the ball shattered and the ground froze upon contact. The T-rexuar stopped when heavy sheets of ice rushed over it in a magnificent crystal wave. The giant glacier erupted seconds later, both ice and flesh shattering to the winds.

The GF nodded in satisfaction at her work, then held out her palm for Sesshoumaru to step into. She lowered him to the ground gently and waited until his feet were safely on the ground before giving a reverent bow and disappearing in a rising mass of snowflakes.

"I'm so bloody jealous," Kagome grumbled as Sesshoumaru sat down in the passenger side seat and shut the door. "Why couldn't I have gotten a GF like that?"

"Let's be off Higurashi," he said instead of commenting on her grumbling. "Almasy?"

"Yes Sesshoumaru?"

"I want you and Higurashi both to report your GFs to me."

"Um..ok. I've got a lightening based named Quezacotl and a GF named Carbuncle that reflects magic," Sango told him. "Carbuncle belongs to my boyfriend so I'm kinda unfamiliar with him."

"And you?" Sesshoumaru said as he glanced at Kagome from the corner of his eye. "What are yours?"

Kagome sighed deeply, her gaze lowered slightly as Balamb's town gate appeared in the horizon. "All I have is Diablos."

"Funny," Sesshoumaru remarked more to himself than to her. "I was told that Diablos was a dark elemental."

"Not exactly," Kagome shook her head. "He's a none, but he's got a dark attack."

"Then what are you doing with him?"

"Headmaster thought I could handle him," Kagome admitted as she drove through the front gate and into the rental car garage. "I'm still having a little trouble." She parked the car in the garage and popped the trunk before getting out. They quickly grabbed their duffle bags and returned the keys to the attendant.

"Come," Sesshoumaru beckoned as he led the way toward the middle of town. "We have just enough time to catch the 1:30 train to Timber."

"We're going to Timber?" Sango exclaimed excitedly. "Yay!"

"Why are we going to Timber?" Kagome wondered before stopping at the items shop nearby. "Don't we need some things?"

"No," Sesshoumaru shook his head. "We won't need them on the train." Kagome and Sango stood behind him while he bough the tickets, then followed him to the train itself and boarded with the last of the passengers. Sesshoumaru used his ticket to open the door to the rest of the train. He used it again to open their cabin doors and stepped inside while Kagome and Sango gawked from the threshold.

"Wow," Kagome muttered as she and Sango drank in the lavishly decorated room. A white leather sectional took up most of the outer wall, with a pair of bunk beds lined up on the left side. The room was decorated in burnt sienna and burnished gold, with a beautiful oriental rug underneath their feet. "This is so amazing."

"SeeDs really live it up huh?" Sango said next as she and Kagome finally entered the room. They dropped their bags on different sides of the room and plunked down on the couch. "So..." Sango said as Kagome bounced a little on the cushions. "What's our mission? You never told us and our folders said that you were going to brief us once we boarded the train."

"I know. Here," Sesshoumaru reached inside his bag and passed them two folders. "What do the two of you know about Winhill."

"A lot," Sango quickly spoke up while Kagome read over the files. "Miroku's from there."

"Who's Miroku?" Sesshoumaru asked and glanced at Kagome when she huffed. "You remember Miroku," she began. "He's the other human that took the SeeD exam with me."

"Oh yes," Sesshoumaru nodded. "The sniper. Continue."

"Oh, but we don't know a lot," Kagome said. "Only what Miroku told us."

"Then you should know about the monster hunters that protect the town?"

"Yeah, we know about them," Sango nodded. "One of them is Miroku's father. Why? What's happened?"

"Two days ago, a cattle stampede injured two of the hunters and fatality wounded another-"

"What started the stampede?" Kagome asked when Sango gasped. Sesshoumaru plucked yet another folder from his file and began to search through it.

"According to intelligence, a group of caterchipillars startled the cattle and the three hunters were the unfortunate victims-"

"What about Mr. Saikai?" Sango interrupted yet again. "Is he...dead?"

"I do not know," Sesshoumaru answered. "The report does not give names. I was instructed to tell you this once we boarded because of the number of students that attend the Garden from Winhill."

"So what?" Kagome asked. "We're going to Winhill?"

"We're to go to Timber first, then go from there to Winhill," Sesshoumaru nodded. "Our mission, and my command, doesn't begin until we arrive at Timber."

"So..." Sango said as she came out of her previous stupor. "What are we supposed to do for two days? Sit around and twiddle our fingers?"

"I do not care what you do," Sesshoumaru growled in disinterest after leaning back against the couch and closing his eyes. "But do be quiet about it."

'Hopeless,' Kagome thought to herself as she and Sango immediately stood up and left the room. 'But-'

"I'm hungry," Sango said suddenly. "Come on." She grabbed Kagome's arm and dragged her toward the dining car. "We'll come back and check on him, but until then we're gonna have some fun."

III

Sango hopped onto the train steps and stretched, a wide grin spread across her face as the warm late afternoon sun shone down on her. "Timber!" she sighed happily as Kagome disembarked behind her. "It feels so good to be home!!!"

"Go on Sango," Kagome grumbled as she shoved her out of the way. "You're not the only one that wants to get off the train!"

Sesshoumaru stood on the platform seconds later and watched as the two squabbled like children. Today Sango was the one in a skirt, this one grazing her knees with a high split up the both sides and a burgundy turtleneck. Kagome wore her beloved hip hugger jeans and a white fitted tee with 'I'm Special' in glittery blue cursive.

"How on earth did I get stuck with these children," Sesshoumaru mumbled to himself before clearing his throat and glaring at the pair. The women froze instantly, their gazes guilty and sheepish as they turned to him and saluted. "Now that I have your attention," he began before shedding his heavy coat and dropping it into his bag. "We have a few moments to spare so-"

"Can I go home for an hour?" Sango chirped. "I live just on the west side. It won't take me long I swear."

"No," Sesshoumaru growled, his normally infinite patience shortened to mere ashes from the past couple of days with the duo. "We do not have that long."

"Then I'm hungry," Sango shrugged. "Aren't you Kagome?"

"Well, yeah," Kagome agreed. "Aren't you hungry captain?"

"I do not need to eat as much as a human," he responded. "Funny," Sango said as they descended the stairs to the platform below. "Inuyasha ate nearly everything in sight."

"And I am not Inuyasha," Sesshoumaru snapped and calmed himself when they flinched. "You would do well to remember that."

"Come on you two," Kagome offered as she grabbed both their hands and gently led them toward the center of town. "Let's just get something to eat." No one spoke a word until after they arrived at the small café and it was only to order food. The trio ate in silence, Sesshoumaru deciding sometime after entering the little eatery to indulge himself with a little something.

"So captain," Kagome said to break the silence. Sesshoumaru looked up with chilled golden eyes, his chopsticks hovering over his bowl as he waited for her to continue. "What's the plan now?"

"Once we finish, we'll take the next train to Winhill." He frowned when they burst into laughter. "What's so funny?"

"Oh, just what you said," Sango giggled as Kagome calmed beside her. "That was a good one Sesshoumaru."

"A good one of what?"

Sango and Kagome sobered quickly, taking a moment to study him before Kagome asked, "Are you serious?"

"Why would I not be?" Sesshoumaru inquired.

"Um...I hate to break this to you Sesshoumaru, but..." Sango sighed and glanced at Kagome, who said, "There is no train to Winhill."

"Surely you jest."

"Nope," Sango shook her head. "And we ought to know."

"There are four stations in this town," Sesshoumaru frowned as he pulled the mission folder from his bag and glanced over it. "Do you mean that none of them go to Winhill?"

"Sorry captain," Kagome apologized. "But the stations here are to the desert, the Northwestern station, Balamb and the new one that goes to Fisherman's Horizon."

"There's never been a Winhill station," Sango replied. "But who said there was a Winhill train?"

"That is what intelligence says," he told them. He slid his folder toward them and tapped the first slip of paper, unintentionally poking a hole in the top with one of his claws. Kagome and Sango read over it and burst out laughing again. "Now what?"

"Hojo," was Sango's simple answer, as if it answered everything. They continued to laugh while Sesshoumaru sat confused. "I do not understand," he admitted. "What does one human have to do with-"

"Hojo apparently saw Kagome's name on your mission file and decided to get a little revenge for taking away his girl," Sango giggled, then winced when Kagome punched her in the arm.

"Shut UP!" Kagome squeaked as she punched her again. "I am not his girl!"

"Ow! Anyway, you're not the first person he's done this to," Sango comforted as she passed the folder back to him. "He's done all kinds of stuff. He's the reason why Kouga flunked his SeeD test the first time."

"I'm really sorry Sesshoumaru," Kagome apologized again. "If I had known-"

"You cannot control the actions of another," Sesshoumaru interrupted as he returned the folder to his bag. "... no matter how childish they are. I take it Winhill is accessible by car then?"

"It'll take two days, but yeah," Sango nodded.

"I believe we can spare an extra two days." Sesshoumaru stood and plunked down a couple of gil for the bill. "You two stay here. I'm going to rent a car."

"You can't," Sango called after him. "The rental place closed at 8. It's 8:20 now. Sorry."

"Then I will make reservations at the hotel. Almasy, you're to gather food supplies. Higurashi, you're to retrieve items and other such uses."

"Alright Sesshoumaru," Sango waved as he walked out of the restaurant. "See you at the hotel ok?" She smirked when he left without responding. She turned to Kagome, who was unusually quiet. "What is it?" she wondered.

"I've been thinking," Kagome sighed. "About what happened in Winhill. It's strange, don't you think?"

"How so?" Sango asked before stuffing a cake in her mouth.

"It's just that, when was the last time a group of caterchipillars bothered a bunch of cows? Why would they?"

"What are you talking about?" Sango wondered. "I think you worry too much."

"I'm serious," Kagome disagreed. "Think about it; caterchipillars aren't carnivorous. Cows and stuff know that so why would they run because of a bunch of them when all they probably want to do is graze?"

"You know, I haven't thought of that," Sango said with a thoughtful look. "I mean, now that you look at it, it is kinda strange. Cattle don't run from caterchipillars, humans do and that's only because of their webbing."

"So the question is..." Kagome mused as she brought her knuckles to her lips. "What really caused the stampede?"

(End Chapter)

SF: That's right! Mr. Frosty himself has well...Shiva! The queen of frosty! Isn't that great?

Sesshou: Somehow I do not share your enthusiasm.

SF: You rarely do. Anyway people, that's a little more for this series. I know, short chapter but trust me, there's reasons for that. For one, Second Chance is due for an updating, and that should happen some time next week. Two, I'm almost antsy to get started on the next chapter of this story. Holler at your girl if you have any questions so far and...oh! The preview is next!

The Antagonist: How long have I waited, plotting my revenge against those that so shamelessly turned their backs on my father? Nineteen years have passed, yet nothing's been done about the injustice done to him. My father was a great president, and wonderful father. My life became nothing when he was killed, yet the people of this rancid city go on as if nothing important happened. How dare they try to forget when they live in his city?

It will be nothing to take it all back...to regain what my father so foolishly trusted to that sorceress wench...

No, not hard at all.

Chapter Five: Invoking the Devil

) And for a glimpse of Shiva: www (dot) (slash) image (dot) php?loc (slash) ff10(slash) art (slash) summ04 (dot) jpg (

(Responses)

Fanfiction

Migele, Gray wolf demon, Angel116, I-brained-my-damaged, Crazyanime chick 696, TearsoftheInnocents, Fluffy-loversay-yeah!, Skitzoflame, C.M.S., Sessywuver, Tokia, Hell Chaos Angel, fluffychick15, ivei, azn-modern-miko, Black tigeress, Row, inupupluvr, taiyoukai-chan, & InuyashaLovour1: Thanks so much for reviewing!

MulishaMotoX: (blush) Thanks. It's not my idea, but another author's by the name of RPG-girl. The pairings are Sess/Kag, Inu/Kik, San/Mir, and Ship/Sou (she doesn't come in until later)

Fire Phoenix: Hojo is rather...forward but it helps the story along. I wish I could have gotten a picture of him with pink hair too. For now, the mental image is enough to keep me happy.

kitt9: I know! I'm truly sorry about that. I do intend to torture Sesshoumaru soon. I promise!

Dark Neko-chan: Lol! Flare brain!! Beautiful OW! (Ducks Kagome's punch) Stop it! It's true. Jeez, look at you now. Take your time with the picture. You know how patient I am when it comes to you. Besides, your work is worth the wait. Yup, Junsei's the name. My beta came up with it. If it were left to me, it'd be something stupid, like power or something like that. (Shakes head) Isn't that sad?

TeNshI nO Hi: Thanks so much! Yup, this fic is based off Final Fantasy VIII (which is my all time fave game)

stoictimer: (Blush) Thanks. I'm glad your enjoying it so much. Glad to know that you're in support of the progress too. I hadn't actually thought about Kikyou and her whip, but...I think I can do it. Plus, you gave me the perfect way for a piece of the plot to happen. Thanks!

ReginaLucifer: Thanks! I'll definitely tell her. Yup, in this fic little Rin already has a family and a sister. It's not the last we see of her though, so be sure to watch out for her.

xSilverShadowsx Their romance doesn't really begin until later in the fic, when the antagonist begins to really cut up. Shame on him by the way.

Angeltiger: You know, no matter how many times you say it...I still love hearing it. (Blush) I'm such a glutton. Yup, Rinoa is Squall's wife, and she gets her own chapter in a few. It's one of the ways the antagonist misbehaves himself. Kagome's past is pretty much chapter one. It seems like a small thing now, but back before she came to the Garden she was a happy, carefree kid. She honestly believes that her parents kicked her out because of something wrong with her. It kinda hurts to think about it, so that's why Shippou's the only one who knows. Well, Squall picked Sango remember? Sesshoumaru picked Kagome because really, did you expect him to pass up the chance to make her suffer and win a bet at the same time. Kagome will end up with Alexander sometime in the middle of the fic, but for right now she's got Diablos. Hopefully they'll get along better.

BelleDayNight: lol. I totally agree. Yeah, Sesshou's got control issues. I don't exactly know how long he'll be able to keep that attitude though.

Yume no Zencho: One of Sesshou's three GFs is in the chapter above. He's got some really powerful stuff (which is understandable since he is the man...er, youkai in this fic) Hee hee, he was pretty hot wasn't he? What can I say?

Hiraikotsu Slinger: Of COURSE I remember you! Hi! I'm glad I helped in some way.

NoLabel: Don't feel bad about Fujin and Raijin. They kicked my butt for months before I finally found a way to stop them. Even now I think it was blind luck. Ok...let's see here...um, anyone got the Recover ability? If so, then keep that person alive NO MATTER WHAT. Drawing Curaga magic from Fujin will help too. Someone else should have items on their command list so that you can get to the Phoenix Downs. If you've got Doomtrain, then he'd be someone that'll be a great help. I've never gotten that GF, so I haven't a single clue as to how effective he is. Me personally, Diablos and Leviathan work wonders. You know, if Belle heard what you said about the K/K stuff, she might faint. Lol. No, I'm playing. I don't blame you. I'd be uncomfortable too. Dancing with any teacher used to make me blush, but Squall's the man. Oh, but yeah, Rinoa's his wife in this one. She's going to have a chapter sooner or later. Yeah, the Happy Bunny Brigade was so see through. I know it but it worked. Shiori is cute, but Souten's going to be in here too. I think there will be a good couple of characters from both stories here in this fic. I would tell you what happens between the hanyou, but I think it should be a surprise. You'll like how Inuyasha handles it though!

Mediaminer

ady anhee 999: Me too! I practically begged for FFX-2 for Christmas this year. No problems about the spelling score. I can't spell worth a darn myself. It's sad really but that's what the spell check is fore. Thanks so much for the praise. I worry sometimes about the detail in the stories, but it's nice to know that people enjoy them as much as I do. I'm glad you have such an open mind about the pairings. There are a few people who only read one thing, so when they find out that a story's another they tend to send some interesting mail. You will be sticking around won't you?


	6. Invoking the Devil

Disclaimer: No, I don't own it. So there! You guys can't sue now! Oh, and this chapter includes a few more gunblade names, again thanks to Tessa3!

Chapter Five: Invoking the Devil

I

He checked into the hotel, fully aware of the queer stares he received from the front desk clerk as he paid for his room. "And how long will you be staying Mr..."

"Dunwei," he answered with a slight growl. "Juromaru Dunwei, and it will be no longer that three weeks."

"Of course Mr. Dunwei."

Juromaru snatched his key and walked away without another word, his dark shoulder length hair flaring slightly around him as he stormed toward the elevator to the upper levels of the hotel. He stepped out when it stopped on the 8th floor and walked down the hallway to the end of the room. He opened the door and flung his luggage inside.

Juromaru glanced irritably at his watch, a weak growl escaping his lips before slamming the door closed behind him and finding a seat on one of the two peach colored beds. 'The disgrace,' he frowned to himself as he patiently waited. 'Having to resort to a false name in a city Father built.' He looked up at a heavy knock. He stood and opened the door, peering from behind the brass chain into the faces of two men before pulling it back and offering them entrance.

"You are late Major," he informed the tallest of the two as he closed the door. The men apologized profusely while they shed their coats, the bigger one bowing once Juromaru was sure they were alone.

"My apologies Mr. Deling," the taller man said reverently. "We were delayed."

Juromaru said nothing to his apology, merely glancing over the two men before turning to stare out the window. The taller of the men was a few inches taller than Deling's 6'8", and was dressed in a red uniform made of a rough sack-like cloth. Plates of steel were securely strapped to his shoulders. His companion was dressed in a similar uniform, only this one was blue with slightly less material than the red.

"I care not for your excuses," Juromaru stated as he watched the people on the street below. "Tell me Major," he said after turning around. "What are our forces like? Are they ready?"

"Unfortunately sir, they're not," the little man in the blue stammered with a bow. Juromaru frowned and glared at him. "Who are you?"

"This is my lieutenant, Wedge," the major explained hastily. "He and I served on the Galbadian army together. He can be trusted."

"I see," Juromaru mumbled softly. "He had better be Biggs, or there will be consequences. Now," he returned his attention to Lt. Wedge, a small part of him grinning in pleasure when the man shivered involuntarily. "How are you involved with my army?"

"I watch over the forces stationed near Clearance and here sir," Lt. Wedge said with a slight salute. Juromaru immediately took a liking to the nervous soldier.

"And why are they not ready?" Juromaru demanded. "I've given ample funds, time and resources. You should be ready at the proverbial drop of a hat."

"And we would be, but-"

"No buts," Juromaru interrupted impatiently. "I tire of your incompetence Major Biggs. Our forces will be ready in three days."

"But sir," Major Biggs stammered as Juromaru tossed the men their coats. "Most of the men won't even be near Deling City in three days!"

"Are you questioning me?" Juromaru demanded, his icy blue eyes narrowed severely. Major Biggs quickly shook his head. "No, no Mr. Deling. Not at all."

"Good. Then I will see you Wednesday." Juromaru watched uncaring as the two practically fled from the room. 'Fear,' he purred to himself as he move to stand in the open window. He watched as the two soldiers stepped out from underneath the hotel awning, the tenseness he could see in their shoulders melting away once the sun touched their faces. 'No wonder Father treasured this feeling so. I think I like it too.' He watched as they shook themselves and walked away, exchanging a brief laugh between them before disappearing into the crowd that surrounded them.

'Look at them,' he sneered as the people surged along below him. 'They're like locusts, maggots that feed off the blood of others. They nourish themselves off the blood that my father spilt trying to make this country what it desired to be.'

'_Foolish little Juromaru_,' a soft voice whispered in his mind. '_Still a daddy's boy after all these years. One would think you would have grown out of it by now._'

"I'm not a daddy's boy," Juromaru frowned angrily. "I wouldn't even remember the stupid bastard if it wasn't for this." He reached inside his shirt for a small rosary, the black and white beads looped between golden links. One bead was the size of a golf ball and a dark lavender color. "This is what drives me."

'_Surely you jest_,' the inner voice jeered nastily. '_A simple babble, hanging from a dinky chain? You are a fool, just like your father. You will never take back Galbadia. You've allowed these people to debase you and your mother just like he did._'

"Never!" Juromaru snarled, his voice nearly losing its humanity in his intense fury. "I will never be as foolish as he was! He allowed that sorceress, that witch to humiliate him!"

'_I'd say she did a little more than humiliate him,_' the voice laughed. '_Downright destroyed him is a better way of putting things._'

"I will never be like him," Juromaru vowed as he fisted his hand around the little lavender jewel. "I will do what he couldn't."

'_We'll see,_' the voice whispered while Juromaru returned the rosary to his pocket and quit the room....

Never noticing that the voice in his head sounded nothing like him...

II

"All right Shippou," Zell called out in approval. "Not bad. Not bad at all. Give me a roundhouse."

Shippou spun around quickly, his tail and hair whirling around him like streamers as his foot harshly connected with the defenseless punching bag. The bag split open seconds later, the tiny white stuffing inside pouring to the polished gym floor like grains of sand.

"Very good," Zell congratulated as Shippou wiped a little sweat from his brow. "That was a great kick!"

"Thanks Instructor," Shippou replied with a polite bow. Zell frowned and asked, "What's wrong? You've been quiet lately."

"Well..." Shippou began, then sighed and took a seat on the practice mat under his feet. Zell sat beside him and waited for him to finish. "I know I shouldn't complain and everyt-"

"Complain about what?" Zell interrupted.

"About being assigned to the Garden for my SeeD mission," Shippou explained. "I know I shouldn't complain but-"

"But you thought this life would be a little more glamorous," Zell guessed and nodded when Shippou did.

"Yeah. I mean, all of my friends are stationed somewhere else. Miroku's in Dollet-"

"Who's Miroku again?"

"Miroku Saikai, the sniper sent to Dollet for trade negotiations."

"Oh yeah, I remember him," Zell nodded. "Oh, but go head though."

"Inuyasha's in Timber assigned to the headmaster's wife, and Kagome and Sango are in Winhill but I'm here." Shippou sighed despondently, his head lowered almost pitifully. "At first, I thought that it sucked. I mean, everyone else is outside the Garden, so why couldn't I be with them?"

"You said at first right?" Zell asked. "What changed your mind."

"Well for one, Kagome's happy." Shippou grinned wistfully, mentally imagining his friend that was miles away from them. "Kagome loves Winhill. It's something about the flowers and the fresh air. She once said that she felt free there, like everything she's ever worried about vanished the second she saw the little town in the horizon.

"And," Shippou sighed as he stood up and brushed himself off. "I know they're coming back. Old missions end and new missions begin, so they'll all have to come back here. Who knows? Maybe we'll be put together in the future."

"That's not bad logic," Zell agreed. "I wish more SeeDs assigned to the Gardens felt that way." He jumped when a beeping noise sounded from Shippou's pant leg and stood by as Shippou pulled out his com-phone and flipped it open.

"Kagome?"

"Hell naw," Inuyasha grunted as his face appeared on the viewscreen. Shippou groaned in disappointment. "What do you want?" he growled at the fuzzy screen. He briefly glanced over his shoulder as Zell looked over it to the little phone.

"Look kit, I don't have time to argue with you," Inuyasha grumbled before glancing off camera to the left side of the screen. "Mrs. Leonheart! Please don't go that way!" he shouted.

Shippou grinned at Inuyasha's frustrated growl. "Do you want something Puppy-chan, or did you just miss me?" he snipped sarcastically.

"Damn you Shippou. You got a TV near you?"

Shippou glanced at Zell, who quickly pulled a thin silver remote from his pocket and pushed a little black button. A section of the wall in front of them slid back to reveal a wide screen plasma television, the screen coming to life the moment the wall was out of the way.

"Yeah."

"Turn to Timber Channel 15."

"Why?" Shippou asked as Zell did as Inuyasha asked.

"You'll see..."

Shippou and Zell watched as a newscaster appeared onscreen, his brown hair whipping in the breeze as he squinted at the camera. "Ladies and gentlemen," he began as what sounded like someone talking came from his background. "We have received word that, after four long days of fighting, the army that attempted to storm Deling City has officially been forced back."

"What army?" Zell asked as Shippou glanced down at Inuyasha.

"Inuyasha, what's he talking about?"

"Shut up," Inuyasha growled, his gaze and the gaze of a woman with chocolate brown hair standing beside him directed off screen. "Listen for once."

"For those of you that have remained unaware, this Wednesday, March 5th, foreign powers attempted to overthrow the Galbadian government by taking seizure of the capitol." The announcer paused for dramatic effect, his eyes briefly glancing off camera before returning to the television audience. "For four long days, gunfire has been exchanged between both sides. Residents of Deling City have been evacuated via trains to Timber, Clearance, Balamb, Fisherman's Horizon and via military vehicles to Dollet. Youkai Ambassador Sugimi Endo was evacuated on day one of the siege.

"The fighting ended three hours ago, with more than fifteen of the foreign army wounded and twenty three dead. The fifteen that were wounded will be held for questioning."

"Just what in the hell is going on?" Shippou heard Zell whisper as the announcer paused again.

"Who exactly is behind this power is still unknown, but is under investigation," the announcer said and ducked as an explosion went off somewhere nearby. "Please excuse the noise," he apologized. "There are still a few live mines that the SeeD of the area are investigating. As a matter of fact, the battle turned the second day with the arrival of SeeD. Until then, it seemed as if the foreign power would succeed, but the timely arrival of this skilled mercenaries quickly turned the tides against this evil."

"This guy is long winded," the woman beside Inuyasha mumbled. "Kami-sama, I don't have time for this. I've got to go to the store."

"As of now, the foreign army has disappeared entirely from the city streets. Casualties for the Galbadian forces are at 9, with two being SeeD personnel. I asked military personnel if they knew the reason for this attack. Their response: No comment.

"This is Jonathan Nida, with Timber 15 News. Back to you Janice."

Zell turned the TV off with a frown, one that was reflected on Shippou and Inuyasha's faces. "Is that it Inuyasha?" Shippou asked after a few moments of silence.

"Well fuck you too then," Inuyasha said and yelped when the dark-haired woman suddenly jerked on his arm. "Mrs. Leonheart, you can't do that!" he shouted off camera.

"Come on! And how many times to I have to tell you that my name's Rinoa!" Shippou heard her yell before their connection was severed. Shippou pocketed the little device with a mental groan, his mind tumbling over the information he just received.

"What's on your mind Shippou?" Zell asked when Shippou folded his right arm across his chest to his left side, propped his left arm up on it and thoughtfully tugged on his left ear.

"I don't know," Shippou admitted. "It just seems funny to me."

"What does?"

"This whole 'attack on Deling City' thing," Shippou replied. "I mean, what's in Deling City that anyone would want?"

"Why would anyone want to take over Galbadia is another question," Zell commented.

"Exactly. Why would anyone want to take over Galbadia?" Shippou said. "I mean, the nation isn't as powerful as it was 17 years ago when they controlled Timber, Dollet and Winhill. Now it's pretty much whatever's near Deling City. So why bother it?"

"That's a good question," Zell nodded. "And it's also good to see that you payed attention to your history classes."

"Ha ha Instructor," Shippou commented drily. He looked on as Zell walked away, emerald green eyes narrowed slightly as he mulled over the facts. 'I just don't get it,' he said after a few moments of thought. 'Who would be desperate enough to attack a fallen government like Galbadia?'

III

"SHIT!!!"

Juromaru swept his arm across the desk, papers flying about from the abuse as everything heavier fell to the carpeted floor. "How?" he muttered brokenly. He dropped to his knees behind the desk, his forehead resting against the edge as he fought back tears of frustration. "How? I don't understand it. We outnumbered them twelve to one. We were better trained, better armed, so how, _how did they beat me?!!!_"

'_They beat you because you're weak,_' his ever present visitor whispered into his consciousness. '_You're weak and useless, just like your father..._'

"**I AM NOT MY FATHER!!!**" Juromaru raged and shoved the desk onto it's side. "I'm not weak!"

'_Then you are fearful,_' it replied with a laugh. '_Fearful of the power you could have._'

"I am not fearful. I want to be powerful. I want to make them pay."

'_Make who pay?_' the voice asked. '_Just who should foot the bill for your ruined childhood and your mother's degradation? Who's fault is it that the two of you were sent away, cast out of the only home you ever knew to live in the monster-infested plains around the city?_'

"Shut up..."

'_Who's fault is it that you had to work like a slave all your life just to eat, that your mother died in poverty, in filth, in disease?_'

"Shut up!"

'_Who's fault is it that your father was taken from you..._'

"Shut up!"

'_That you watched as that witch sucked the life from him like a leech? That you watched and did nothing? WHO CAN YOU BLAME JUROMARU DELING? WHO CAN YOU BLAME FOR YOUR SHORTCOMINGS!!! YOU ALLOWED YOUR FATHER TO DIE!!!!!!_'

"**SHUT UP!!!**" The desk was shoved again, harder this time, with Juromaru crouched on the other side of the room. His breathing was labored, his eyes narrowed in barely leashed fury. "I am not to blame! Father put his trust and our future in that **WITCH**!!! He had no power of his own, but I do!"

'_No you don't,_' the voice taunted lazily. '_But...you could..."_

"I...I could...."

_'Yes...' _the voice hissed, it's manner less like an inquisitor and more of a tempting harlot. _'You could have what you've always wanted. Think of it Deling, power, infinite, uncontested, unadulterated power. You could have it, and I could give it to you...'_

"How?" Juromaru sobbed, the tears he refused to shed finally streaming down his face. "How can you give it to me? You're nothing but a voice."

_'I'm more, much more. Where is that rosary, the one your father kept with him?'_

Juromaru reached inside his pocket for the rosary, his eyes widening in amazement as the lavender jewel in the center began to glow a fierce purple. "What on earth..."

_'Myself, and others that are with me, live inside that little jewel,'_ the voice told him as gentle swirls of plum smoke began to curl around Juromaru and the jewel. '_We've been imprisoned here for centuries by a miko that was jealous of our power. You could set us free Deling. Set us free and we could help you get the power you want. We can help you, we want to help you, but you have to set us free...'_

"How?" Juromaru demanded. He jumped to his feet and shook the rosary, the little beads jingling against each other as he glared down at the now purple jewel. "How can I have this power? How can I set you free?"

_'Simple'_ the voice whispered. _'Give yourself to us. Wish us out and into you and we will make all of your dreams come true. We could make them suffer..._

_'We could make them pay....'_

Juromaru nodded excitedly, his mind torn to fragile shreds by the voice's influence to see the danger in the plan or the sharks in the proverbial water. "I...I want it! I want the power! I want them all to **bleed**! If all you have to have is me then fine, come get me! I wish you out so you can help me defeat my enemies!!"

The jewel flashed a dark black, the sunlight around it seeming to disappear deep within the glassy confines before calming itself to normalcy. Juromaru frowned in confusion and tapped the bead, then shrugged and moved to toss it over his shoulder when he realized he couldn't move his left hand. He stared at it and the rosary hanging from it, noticing for the first time the beads that had grown from the keepsake. The added beads entwined around his arm,black and white beads squeezing tightly as they wound their way around his entire body.

Juromaru attempted to jerk away, only to gasp as beads shot from the carpet and embedded themselves underneath his skin and deep within his calves. He inhaled sharply and opened his mouth to scream but beads quickly wound themselves around his head until nothing could be seen but terrified, glacier blue. "What's going on?" he demanded from beneath his imprisonment. "What is happening to me?"

_'Your body is insufficient,'_ the voice whispered as wispy forms poured from the jewel. _'We're going to ...make improvements. You do not mind...do you?'_

"You lied to me!" Juromaru cried out when the first slash cut across his cheek. "You said you'd help me!"

_'And we will,'_ the voice assured him with a laugh. _'But unlike you Juromaru, we're not satisfied with just Galbadia. We want the entire world...'_

III

Biggs and Wedge stood nervously in front of Juromaru's door, both of them eying it with silent caution. "You knock," Biggs ordered suddenly.

"No way!" Wedge squeaked and jumped away from the door. "I'm not knocking! You knock!"

"I'm your commanding officer!" Biggs hollered at the frightened soldier. "Now do as I say and KNOCK ON THIS DOOR!"

_"_Fine, fine," Wedge grumbled before raising his fist to rap on the painted wood. The door creaked open at his touch, and the major and lieutenant sent each other questioning glances before venturing into the room. They stood still at the destruction, their mouths hanging open as their eyes moved from one place to another. The two twin beds were turned completely over, the mattresses shredded to ribbons along with the sheets, pillows and comforters.

The desk was cracked and bowed in the middle, mahogany wood nothing but kindling for the fire. Papers, ink and a red substance neither wanted to investigate were splattered all over the carpet, the walls and the ceiling as if the two had interrupted a raging paintball fight.

"Something is wrong sir," Wedge whispered as they moved toward the bathroom door. They could hear tiny scrapings coming from the room inside and Biggs' hand was inches from the doorknob when the door itself flung open and a figure stepped into the room. They stepped to the side immediately, unsure of this new person as he walked past them clad in nothing but a towel wrapped securely around his hips. Little marks wept on his legs, but they were quickly faded into nothing as he turned to the two of them and glared.

_"_Well?" he said a few moments after rubbing another towel through his pale, waist length lilac hair.

"Um...who are you?" Wedge asked, then winced when Biggs clobbered him upside the head. "Ow!"

"You don't recognize me?" the youkai asked. The soldiers shook their heads and frowned when he laughed.

"We don't find it funny," Biggs shot back. "We want to know what you did with Deling."

"What I did with him?" the youkai repeated as he calmed himself enough to look at the two. "I didn't do anything to him. I am him!"

"Not possible," Biggs said with a shake of his head. "Deling is human! You're youkai!"

_"_Hanyou to be exact," Juromaru corrected. "But that's not why I called you here is it Major Biggs?"

"H-how do you know my name?" Biggs stammered. Juromaru laughed again, this time the jovial act replaced by a dark, sinister rigidness that froze the blood.

"I know your name because you've failed me Biggs!" Juromaru replied. "I thought you said you could win with that army! You've disappointed me!"

"No sir," Biggs said, immediately recognizing Juromaru's voice. "I mean, it wasn't my intention sir! It was the SeeDs! We'd have Deling City if it weren't for-"

"Excuses!" Juromaru growled. His shoulder twitched, and a tentacle shot out from behind it to encircle Biggs' waist before he could react. It hoisted him high into the air, holding him there while Juromaru looked on and Wedge cowered against a nearby wall. Juromaru grinned at the slight hiss coming from above him, knowing that the miasma coating his new appendage was eating through the cheaply made uniform.

"What did I tell you when you signed up for this?" Juromaru growled, blue eyes rapidly fading to a cherry red intensity. "I told you I wouldn't accept excuses! I wanted results! You gave me world-wide humiliation!!!"

"But sir-" Biggs attempted but was quickly interrupted with a quick wave of Juromaru's hand.

"I don't want to hear it. I'm tired of your excuses Biggs." Juromaru sighed wearily and scratched his forehead, then looked at Wedge and grinned. Wedge flinched as fangs glittered back at him, beautiful pearl white instruments of death and destruction more menacing than any monster he ever had the pleasure of slaying.

"I am retiring you Biggs," Juromaru's deep tenor reverberated throughout the room. "Permanently." Biggs barely had time to scream as the tentacle around his waist finally burned through his uniform to his skin. Bones snapped, muscles melted away only to land in soft plops below him and nerves screamed out in unholy agony before what was left of Biggs' body finally fell to the floor.

Wedge glanced from him, Biggs' eyes wide and glazed over, to Juromaru who watched him expectantly. "Well," Juromaru said as Wedge looked on. "What about you?"

"I-(ahem) I would be forever loyal, Mr. Deling sir," Wedge said as he saluted him.

"Yes, I know," Juromaru said absently. "But can you give me results?"

"I can," Wedge nodded. "I can have what remains of our army ready in one week."

"That's faster than I had planned," Juromaru admitted before calling the tentacle back to his body. It disappeared without a single hitch leaving his skin unblemished. "I like that." He reached over and draped an arm around Wedge's shoulders, grinning as the taller man jumped at the contact. "I think we're going to get along, don't you Major Wedge?"

"Major," Wedge whispered dreamily, Biggs completely forgotten as Juromaru led him to the door. "Yes sir, I think so."

"Good. See that you give me what I want and Wedge?"

"Yes sir?"

"Fail me and I'll make Biggs' demise look like a mercy killing," Juromaru growled, crimson-rimmed blue glowing in fierce promise. "Understood?"

"Yes," Wedge nodded quickly. "U-understood sir!"

"Good. Get out." Juromaru grinned as the newly appointed major practically scrambled out of the room, his look more of a kicked dog than a military man of high standing. "Now," he said as he turned to Biggs remaining...remains. "What to do with you..."

IV

BEEP-BEEP!

BEEP-BEEP!

BEEP-BEEP!

Shippou's eyes snapped open, his pupils widening to catch any strand of sparse light in the dark room. He growled softly, annoyed at the noise as he sat up and yawned.

BEEP-BEEP!

BEEP-BEEP!

BEEP-BEEP!

"Alright you insistent little bugger," he grumbled and cursed when he stumbled into the nightstand beside his bed. "Damn it! I meant to move that." Shippou grabbed the little phone, finding it in the dark room by the flashing blue charger light on it's side, and flipped it open.

'One forty-three,' he grumbled as he flipped the phone open and pressed the 'on' key. 'This had better be fucking importan-'

"Shippou!" Miroku and Inuyasha called as they both appeared on separate parts of Shippou's viewscreen. "Were you up?"

"In Inuyasha's words, 'hell naw', " Shippou retorted snidely. Inuyasha snickered. "You're so lazy. Jeez, I've never met a youkai that needed so much sleep."

"Did the two of you call me for this shit, or do you have something important to say?" Shippou yawned and glared at the screen.

"My apologies my young friend," Miroku apologized quickly. "I realize it's late there-"

"Not late here," Inuyasha interrupted.

"That's great Inuyasha," Shippou mumbled. "Ask me if I care."

"Why you-"

"GENTLEMEN!" Miroku shouted. "This is not what I called either of you about!"

"Then what is it?" Inuyasha asked. "I've got to keep this woman from running off on her own. Jeez, what kind of crack was the headmaster smoking when he found this one?"

"Anyway," Miroku grumbled. "Find a TV and turn it on."

Shippou fumbled in the dark for the remote to the 17" tv built into the wall above his bed and turned it on. "What channel?" he asked

"Doesn't matter."

"What are we looking for?" Inuyasha asked and growled at Miroku's cryptic answer.

"You'll know it when you see it."

Shippou's screen flickered to life, and he sat the little phone on the nightstand as an announcer, this one of short stature with short black hair shaped in a bowl cut, waddled on camera and nervously smiled.

"Ladies and gentlemen, both of Deling City and the world. Galbadia has long been a country of great power and purpose. Today, I give you our new lifelong president, the one who will lead us to that power, glory and fame! Ladies and gentlemen, I give you President Juromaru Deling!"

Shippou barely noticed when the sound of Inuyasha spitting his juice half way across Mrs. Leonheart's kitchen sounded over the phone's speakers. "What the fuck?" he demanded. "I thought that dude was dead!"

"Wrong Deling," Miroku muttered. "Wrong Deling indeed." They watched as Juromaru walked up to the podium in the center of the room wearing a dark suit and his hair pulled back in a low bun. He waited until everyone around him settled down before beginning to speak.

"People of Galbadia," he began. "I come to you today, having won my place to be your president."

"How did this happen?" Shippou wondered aloud.

"You remember about three weeks ago when someone tried to take Deling City right?" Miroku asked. Shippou and Inuyasha nodded. "Well, he used Galbadia army's weakness and completely took over. He swooped in before anyone could do anything. Now he's president and the men that were with him are his army. Anyone on the old army and any SeeDs in the city were arrested."

"Man," Inuyasha growled. "That's gotta suck. Glad I'm in Timber."

"I give you my word, I will be nothing like my father," Juromaur declared over the airways. "Galbadia needs no ambassador, though Ambassador Endo is welcome to return whenever he so wishes."

"Father's not going to like that," Inuyasha mumbled when something began to scratch at the back of Shippou's consciousness. "Good thing he's an engineer. Guess he'll go to Esthar or FH or something."

"Shhh," Miroku hissed. "Be quiet."

"People of Galbadia, I promise under my leadership, we will return to the great nation we were seventeen years ago and we will surpass it." Juromaru glanced into the camera, calm blue eyes slowly becoming crimson as the entire world watched.

"Today, Galbadia," he growled into the microphone, making the hairs on the back of the three SeeDs listening stand on end.

"Tomorrow the world..."

"Kagome!" Shippou suddenly gasped when the itching he felt earlier blossomed into an awareness.

"What about Kagome?" Miroku asked. "What is it?"

"What about Kagome and Sango?" Shippou asked. "They're near Galbadia. What if Deling tries to take over Winhill?"

"Then he'd catch hell from Sesshoumaru," Inuyasha yawned. "Or the girls. Depends on the day."

"Don't worry Shippou," Miroku said as they both scowled at Inuyasha. "I'm sure they'll be fine."

"Yeah, but what if-"

"Look runt," Inuyasha snapped. "If anything goes to pot, or if the Garden THINKS it's going to go to pot, they'll call us all back there before it happens. So stop worrying. Worry when we get the call and she doesn't show up."

"Thanks Inuyasha," Miroku replied sarcastically. "That's much better."

"It's the truth," Shippou heard Inuyasha defend himself as he faded into his thoughts. 'I don't care what they say,' Shippou said to himself. 'I know she's in danger. But I don't want to scare her. Feh, Kagome's smart. She probably knows about this Deling thing. Inuyasha's right, for a change. I won't worry about it until something happens.'

(End Chapter)

Well, that's it for chapter...what chapter is this again? Oh yeah! Chapter five! Dude, I could have sworn this was chapter fifteen. Oh well. Anyway, for those that are wondering, the first part of this chapter begins one week after Kagome, Sango and Sesshoumaru arrive in Timber. For those that are wondering what Shippou looks like as an adult...well, it's kinda simple. Do you remember the episode 'Shippou Gets an Angry Challenge?' The picture Souten draws of our dear little fox is how he looks in this story.

It just occurred to me that you guys don't know the names of the other gunblades. Let's see here...

Sesshoumaru: Shikyo

Inuyasha: Tötungmesser

Those names will be used in the fic sometime soon, so be on the look out for them. Oh, the preview for the next chapter is below.

Shippou: I don't care what they say, I'm worried. My friend, my confidant, my...(sigh) Kagome is in enemy territory. I don't think she knows it. Things are becoming bad on that side of the world and as much as I'd hate to pull her away from the only place she's ever felt welcome, I have to.

Anything to protect her.

It's my job, remember? Always has been, always will be. It's Sango that's going to be devastated, especially when she finds out that Timber's Juromaru's next destination...

Chapter Six: An End to Peace

(Responses)

Jaden: Thank you, and thank your friend too for giving me a chance. I think detail is key too, but there is a such thing as too much. I try not to excel my personal limit. I don't know if I could give you a storyline or not, but I'd be willing to try. What's your idea so far? You said that it'll be a YYH/IY cross.

Jedgam, fluffychick15, Strawberrylover, Angel16, C. M. S., Ivei, Row, Inudemoness, Larka the White Wolf (I agree with you. Someday people will grow up.), jschu25, Kitt90, xSilverShadowsx, TeNshI nO Hi, I-Brained-My-Damage, Sesshys-lovasay-yeah!, Apri-Chan, Azn-modern-miko, Winter Shadow Wolf, Tokia, Skitzoflame, ReginaLucifer, Migele, and MolishaMotoX: Thanks for reviewing!

Fire Phoenix: I thought so too. I think the other GF's are good but Shiva just screamed "Put me with Sesshou PLEASE!!!" Hojo got him good, but it all worked out in the end. Feel real sorry for him though once Sesshou gets a hold of him. Nope, there will be no Sesshou slave in this fic. I know , that sucks. He won the bet though so those are the brakes.

Thesta: I thought something was funky when I updated! I think the chapter messed up just to tell me that Imissed you! Kagome's test was how fast she could get through the Fire Cavern. Someone else has Ifriti and I bet you can't guess who. Give you a clue: They both are hotheaded.

The Great Susinko: FFXIII is my fave too! There are only going to be characters from the game and Inuyasha in this story.

stoictimer: The names not mine, but thanks for the compliment. The name, and the monster, come straight from the game. Thanks for reviewing!

Tonberri: You know, I have yet to actually beat one of you. I always managed to either run or get my behind handed to me. Sucks. Kagome's eyes are blue/green for two reasons. One, I read somewhere once that her eyes are blue/gray, just like you said, but that sometimes they look blue/green too. Two....Um, that part's important later on in the story. You'll just have to wait. (Lol) Trust me, it's worth it.

Mistress Fluffy: I've added a few things, like Clearance, but other than that it's still the same game.

Angeltiger:Sesshou has the most out of the six, with three GFs in all. Yeah, you're right. You do have to kinda be intelligent. Maybe that's why he did that without thinking of how very pissed Sesshou might be once he returned. To be honest, bounding from fic to fic is harder than I thought it would be. It's better than what I was doing, but not exactly an improvement. I may have to change tactics again. But I will try to be good from now on. Lord knows I don't want Sabriel pouncing on me. I'm fragile.

Cutebaby: Thanks so much, but The Red Hunger isn't mine. I'm waiting for that one too.

NoLabel: Oh man. You're missing a LOT of important people. You've got the main folks though, so that's what counts. You're going to need (trust me, I'm serious) one GF in the future. That GF is Odin, and he's in a diamond looking structure on the upper centra continent. Odin will appear in one of your fights inside Lunatic Pandora and help you out, and it's a boss fight too. Diablos is inside the lamp the headmaster gave you at the beginning of the game. Oh, and since you're flying, you've got Bahumut and Eden (the most kick ass GF in the entire game) in the Deep Sea Research Center. Not a bad combo though. I did mine with Squall, Rinoa and Quistis (you know, because of the Blue Magic) I see you're a Larry the Cable Guy fan too! I love that dude. Yeah, Sesshou got caught and he's going to get caught again in the future. ALIGD and TBP are scheduled to be updated sometime early next year. I want to say February. I'm doing my fave stories for January since it's my birthday!

Yume no Zencho You know, it never made sense to me either. I heard that theory that she wears it to remind herself where she comes from, but she could wear a pair of jeans and that would accomplish the same thing. Kagome's hatred of all things frilly is actually a mild version of my own. I've always hated shorts and skirts, and thought that it would make sense for Kagome too as well since she's this tough chick. I may put her in another skirt though. It just depends. You seem to be reading my mind, because two chapters from now I plan on Sesshou doing just that. His clothes ...hmmm....you know, I haven't decided. Personally, I find the idea of him standing nude in the middle of the snow rather...intriguing.

Dark Neko-chan: Yup, you're right! You were the only one that noticed too. I am mixing the GF abilities. I thought it would help make the idea of GF's make more sense. Oh, and have I thanked you yet for Junsei? I have? Well let me thank you again. (Bows) Thank you oh great and holy Mitsi-chan! I swear, I don't know what I'd do without you.


	7. An End to Peace

Disclaimer: No, I don't own it. So there! You guys can't sue now! Oh, and this chapter includes a few more gunblade names, again thanks to Tessa3! Oh, and speaking of gunblades...Dark Neko-chan has graced us again with a great picture. This one is of Kagome's gunblade, Junsei. It's an awesome picture people. It's absolutely breathtaking. If you want to see it (and I know you do) then smack Mediaminer upside the head. Oh, and my beta's back too! Hi Tessa! I've missed you! (Glomp!)

Chapter Seven: An End to Peace

I

Sesshoumaru walked along the dirt pathway that was Winhill's main street, taking his leisurely time getting back to the little group of houses on the courtyard at the opposite end of the road. His gunblade bumped lazily against his left hip, the dull black leather sheath worn from excessive use. 'I will have to have that fixed,' Sesshoumaru thought as his fingers traced a hole on the waist strap near the buckles holding it around his waist. 'It wouldn't due to have this come undone in the middle of battle.'

He glanced away from it to the darkness around him, the sky above rapidly fading to shades of orange and purple as morning began to herald it's arrival to his part of the world. Sesshoumaru mentally counted the days past, a groan escaping him as he attempted to keep track of the days remaining until he needed sleep.

"Why don't I just keep a sleep planner like Father?" he asked himself and immediately scowled. 'Because I don't need it. I know that I sleep once a week. There's no real need to keep up with it so religiously. Besides, I could stay awake for an extra week if necessary.'

He continued down the main village pathway, his steel toed boots ringing softly against the loose stones. He came to a field in the middle of town and paused at the yellow traffic sign next to the road. He gazed over the bright yellow daffodils in disinterest. He snapped his fingers, his eyes still on the bed of flowers as a large chunk of ice careened into the bite bug swiftly approaching him. He smirked when it crashed, the exoskeleton crunching under the massive weight before disintegrating into dust.

'That was dull,' he yawned as he continued to watch the sun rise. 'Out of all of my previous assignments, this by far is the least strenuous. It's almost like a vacation here.' He sighed in boredom, crossed the pathway to the other side of the flower field and began to make his way toward a large flat boulder. 'Four months of boredom are weighing on my sanity. I normally am not as 'eager' as Inuyasha, but this is ridiculous.'

The four months of their station were uneventful to say the least, with the bite bugs and caterchipillars running for their very lives in less than a week after their arrival. Patrols after that were divided between the three, with Kagome patrolling for two hours before noon, Sango for two hours in the afternoon and Sesshoumaru patrolling for the rest of the night. At daybreak the three would set out together to do an entire sweep of the entire town, including the dock at the bottom of the hill near the east side of the village.

Sesshoumaru by now was used to the quiet nights, with nothing more but the cattle to keep him company when he passed by their pens. He experienced the night's interpretation of the change of seasons, the wool peacoat shed in favor of shirts like the white long sleeved tunic he wore now. The air was warmer and he could sense spring and the changes to come.

The two following under his lead were the least of his worries to his surprise. Kagome and Sango entertained themselves without much input from him, fully content to leave him to himself if that's what he chose. When their time to patrol came they went without complaint, and most of their free time was spent training. Sango's aim was near impeccable, with Kagome's impressive gunblade skills only outmatched by the ease in which she wielded her magic. The only real problem Sesshoumaru had with either of them was Kagome and the way she would disappear when least expected. He wondered where she would go and what she would do...

And like most things, an explanation soon presented itself...

)-(

Sesshoumaru walked through the tavern door, his hand testing the door's hinges. 'This will have to be repaired,' he thought as the door squeaked and groaned in protest to his inspections. He looked around to find the rest of the abandoned place in order, with the layers of dust covering top of the tables gone and the filth that once crunched underneath his feet replaced by polished wood. He could still smell remnants of cleaner in the air along with something that smelled exactly like breakfast.

'Seems the little workers were busy this morning,' he said to himself as he took off his coat, unfastened Shikyo from his side and hung them on a nearby hook. The gunblade thumped against the wall sharply, eliciting a startled gasp from the cook behind the pub counter. Sango looked up, her shotgun pointed in his direction and her cinnamon eyes glaring over the twin barrels. Sesshoumaru stood still, his eyebrow quirked when she finally recognized him.

"Oh, sorry Sesshoumaru," she smiled as she lowered her weapon and stood up. "I didn't know who, or what, you were."

"I see that," Sesshoumaru replied dryly as he eyed the plate in her hands. "Higurashi didn't cook that did she?"

Sango laughed, her eyes closing and her head coming to rest on the counter top. "No Sesshoumaru," Sango finally said at last. "Kagome didn't cook. She's not even here."

"Again?" Sesshoumaru said before pulling off his boots, shaking the snow from them and setting them beside the tavern door. "Do you know where she disappears to Almsay?"

"Well yeah," Sango nodded before sliding a glass of orange juice down the counter toward him. "But it depends on the time of day."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Sesshoumaru asked as a plate of pancakes was passed next. He waited patiently for the syrup while Sango explained.

"See, finding Kagome is like playing one of those Wack a Mole games," Sango commented with another laugh. "You never know where she'll pop up."

"Then how are we to find her should we need to?" Sesshoumaru inquired, completely unamused with Sango's little joke. "I do not like this inconvenience."

"Oh don't worry about it," Sango replied with a wave of her hand. "You just have to know where to look at the right time. For example, right now Kagome's on the roof. She likes to sit up there and watch the sun rise. That's what she does when we come to Winhill."

"And in the afternoons?"

"In the afternoons she's in the Chochobo Fields."

"Why would she go there?" Sesshoumaru asked between bites. Though he hated human food with a passion, the sniper somehow managed to make her offerings palatable. It was the other private's cooking that he avoided like the plague, remembering her first attempt and the kitchen fire that nearly burned down the little house afterward.

"She goes there to play with the baby Chocobos," Sango answered with a smile. "Oh, and at night she's with the cattle ranchers helping them round up the cows. She started doing that the first time we came here and she's been doing it ever since."

"So long as she stays out of trouble," Sesshoumaru replied as he pushed the empty plate over the counter to the sink below. "We don't have time for her to misbehave."

"She's not a child Sesshoumaru," Sango told him with a disapproving shake of her finger. "She's perfectly capable of keeping herself out of trouble. Besides, I don't think trouble is on her mind at the moment."

"Then what is?" Sesshoumaru asked, though he wasn't exactly interested. His mind was more on the shower he intended on taking once he got upstairs. His nightly round had presented a particularly nasty bite bug duo that just had to explode all over his shirt. He moved to walk up the stairs when Sango sighed and said, "Kagome's suspicious of something."

Sesshoumaru glanced back at her and found her staring at him expectantly. They continued this a few minutes more before Sesshoumaru sat back down. "Continue."

"She said this last week when we were still in Timber," Sango began at his request. "Um...it was something about how the original monster hunters were hurt."

"What about it?" Sesshoumaru commented. "There is nothing strange about it. Humans are fragile after all."

"No, it wasn't that," Sango shook her head. "It's the way it happened. She said that cows aren't afraid of a bunch of caterchipillars and that the ranchers normally allow the cows to graze on the same land with the caterchipillars. Of course the ranchers themselves have to be careful not to agitate the cows or the caterchipillars but other than that they pretty much co-exist."

"The intelligence report stated that the stampede was caused by caterchipillars," Sesshoumaru recalled, though after the stunt Hojo pulled it wouldn't surprise him if it were wrong. "But you're saying that Higurashi has a different theory?"

"I'm not saying that," Sango shook her head. "All I'm saying is that Kagome thinks its strange. I mean, when was the last time a caterchipillar attacked a cow? They don't even eat meat and the cows know to stay out of their way."

'Hm...' Sesshoumaru thought as Sango continued on with her morning. 'This Sesshoumaru had not thought of that. The woman is right...how disturbing...'

)-(

'And it still is,' Sesshoumaru thought with an inward shudder. 'It is disturbing how insightful that one little human can be at times.' He took his place on the boulder, one long jean clad leg hanging over the side of the boulder while the other was bent near his chest. He rested his elbow on it and looked toward the sun again. The golden ball was a little higher in the sky, and birds were just beginning to stir when he noticed an odd outline along one of the houses. His vision adjusted quickly, involuntarily magnifying until he could see a small form sitting on the roof.

'So, she's awake,' Sesshoumaru said to himself as he gracefully slid from the boulder. His feet touched his cloud instead of the ground and he hovered inches above it before floating idly toward the house. 'I believe now is the time to ask her a few questions.

II

Kagome sighed, her head back and her eyes closed as she straddled the rooftop. Her hands held her steady in front of her as she relaxed, allowing the breeze to blow back her ponytail and the crimson tails of her shirt. She balanced herself easily as she gazed into the ever lightening sky. 'It's so beautiful in the morning,' she sighed to herself as the sky became a beautiful blue. 'I wonder if I should try to talk Sango into coming up here when she gets back.'

She sighed again, this one sad and a little regretful as she turned away from the sunrise toward the beginning of town. Sango finally managed to talk Sesshoumaru into allowing her to visit her family some four days ago, using Timber's junk shop as a leverage. The supplies and ammunition in the Winhill junk shop was enough to meet the small town's needs perfectly, but the three SeeDs found it sorely lacking in ammo and materials.

'_Oh come on Sesshoumaru,' _Kagome remembered Sango saying to their captain as she tried to reason with him. _'I won't be gone longer than what...two weeks, maybe three at the most? You and Kagome can handle the few monsters still in town while I go visit my family. Besides, I can visit the Timber junk shop and get the .45 armor piercing ammo you like so much.'_

Kagome giggled to herself at that, remembering the thoughtful look that crossed Sesshoumaru's normally calm face. 'He agreed almost too quickly,' she recalled with a smile before moving her arms behind her and leaning back against them. 'I suppose he really likes that ammo. I hope she remembers mine as well.' She sighed again as she remembered her friend's bright face and helpful nature. 'Sure, Sango's a bit extreme at times, but she's honestly alright. My cooking's a little better since she started teaching me and wearing a skirt isn't nearly so bad as it used to be...I still hate wearing them though.' She huffed before laughing, the pure sweetness of her mirth ringing out in the warm morning air.

'I just hope she's not still mad at me...'

Kagome sighed yet again, this time with her knees drawing to her chest as she recalled their last conversation. "I know she meant well," Kagome whispered to herself as she glanced toward the end of the town's main road once again. "But she just doesn't understand...."

)-(

"Kagome?"

Kagome jumped with a start, the oversized hoodie in her hands falling to the wooden floor as she spun around with a grin. "Hey Sango," she greeted like a guilty child caught with a forbidden sweet. "You scared me you kno-"

"Is this Inuyasha's?" Sango asked and frowned when Kagome nodded. "That's what I thought."

"What?" Kagome asked as Sango tossed the hoodie into a nearby chair. "What's wrong? You know I normally steal a few of Inuyasha's clothes."

"Ever asked yourself why?" Sango wondered and frowned again when Kagome shook her head. "That's what I thought. Look Kagome, I know about you and Inuyasha."

"Me and...Inuyasha," Kagome stammered out. "What are you talking about? Inuyasha and I are just frien-"

"Just friends, I know," Sango nodded as she sat on the edge of the twin bed closes to Kagome. "But Kagome, I know how you feel about him."

"How?" Kagome demanded, her eyes narrowing as one name came to mind. "Shippou..."

"Shippou knows too?" Sango asked. Kagome nodded. "Yeah, Shippou already kne-Wait, how did you find out if Shippou didn't tell you?"

"I could tell," Sangp answered. "It's like right in front of your face. Don't worry. Kikyou and Inuyasha can't, but I can. You're like family to me, of course I can tell when you're head over heels in love."

"Yeah, I guess you're right," Kagome said as she sat down beside her. "So..."

"Soo....." Sango repeated, then sighed and turned to Kagome. "You haven't gotten over him have you?"

"Um...why?"

"Because I don't think you have," Sango replied. "I mean, the two of you fight like cats and dogs-"

"He is a dog," Kagome joked, then quieted when Sango glared at her. "Ok, sorry."

"Like I said, you two fight like cats and dogs, you steal his hoodies and you're constantly allowing him to get the best of you. On top of that, whenever it's something he can't do, you step in and do it for him. The only reason he passed Ancient Social Studies is because of you! Hell Kagome, you did over half his research papers!"

"What are you talking about?" Kagome asked defiantly. "I don't let him do anything like that. And what's wrong with helping him out a little?"

"Everything," Sango shot back. "Remember when you and Inuyasha were the only ones taking the gunblade course? It was just you and him with the headmaster, and everyday he managed to beat you in sparring despite your training your ass off."

"That's because I'm human," Kagome said before standing up and retrieving the hoodie from the chair. She swiftly found herself not liking the direction the conversation was going and readied herself for the worst. "Besides, what's so bad about him being better than me?"

"Nothing if he were better than you," Sango countered. "But he's not and you know it. The one day, the one day the Headmaster separated you two and made you spar separately, you scored higher than him. The day of the SeeD exam, you end up higher ranked than him. Doesn't that tell you something?"

"Well he's a crush," Kagome defended weakly. "I'm supposed to be nervous around him."

"But you're not supposed to let him win all the time," Sango told her gently. "You're allowed to be your own person Kagome. You're allowed to be the best at what you do. You deserve to be."

"I'm the only female gunblade in all three Gardens," Kagome replied. "I think that's enough."

"You know it's not though," Sango told her with a shake of her head. "You're the best Kagome and you know it. You're rank tells you so. The only person better than you is Sesshoumaru, and he wouldn't have promoted you a week ago if you weren't of some good."

"What's the point Sango?" Kagome demanded heatedly, her temper finally at an end. "I mean, this pep talk isn't for nothing so spill."

"Don't be mad Kagome," Sango replied as she hugged Kagome's shoulders. "I'm just saying that you deserve more than you give yourself credit for. I mean, you deserve someone that'll love you and you've got to realize that Inuyasha's not going to see you any differently."

"I know."

"Huh?" Sango said when Kagome stepped away from her, her head down and her ponytail drifting over her right shoulder. "What do you mean you know?"

"I know Inuyasha will never see me as anything more than a pest," Kagome told her. "Or a little sister. But I don't care. He's...safe."

"Safe?" Sango repeated softly as Kagome replaced the hoodie back inside her duffle bag. "How is he safe unless...you're scared. That's it isn't it?" Sango realized. Her suspicions were confirmed when Kagome turned away from her, her arms folded underneath her breasts as she looked out the window at the setting sun. "Oh Kagome, you don't have to be scared," Sango told her as she hugged her again. "There's someone out there that will love you. You don't have to sit by and watch everyone else."

"Why do you care?" Kagome snapped irritably. "I mean, it's not like you've ever had to watch Miroku fawn all over some other girl."

"Now that's not true and you know it," Sango reprimanded. "You know that the year Miroku and Ayame dated was the worst year of my life so don't go there."

"Then you know what I'm talking about," Kagome said. "I don't have to explain myself then."

"No, you don't." Sango shook her head and sighed. "What are you so afraid of Kagome? You won't let anyone close to you, not even Shippou. Every time we try to include you, you push us away. We just want to be your friends. We care about you and want to help you. We'd stay by your side forever-"

"No you won't," Kagome interrupted. She sniffed and sank back to the bed, her head hung between her arms as she placed her hands on her knees and braced herself up. "None of you will. You'll leave, Shippou will leave, Miroku will leave and Inuyasha will leave. Friendships never last forever."

Sango sighted deeply, her head lowering momentarily before giving her friend a sad smile. "Maybe not, but we're with you now. We'd never leave you by choice, no matter what the future may hold." She turned and walked out the door to the stairs, but stuck her head back inside the room seconds later.

"Kagome, I know you want to drop it but I want you to remember something: There's a reason they call it a crush."

)-(

'Cause crushes hurt,' Kagome sighed to herself as she traced one of the pinstripes going down her leg. 'Sango's right. I've got to stop letting him get to me. I guess I've got some apologizing to do when Sango gets back.'

"Higurashi?"

Kagome glanced up and over her shoulder at Sesshoumaru, watching as he landed on the roof with barely a flutter of his silvery hair. 'It's not bloody fair,' she griped as he settled on the rooftop behind her. 'How's this guy's hair better than mine? Maybe I should listen to Sango about a few of those hair tips too.' "Anything I can help you with captain?"

"You're up early," Sesshoumaru said instead as he sat down behind her facing the horizon. Kagome sighed and turned so that he sat at her left side. "Yeah, I guess so."

"Where are you from?" he asked next, his eyes never leaving the horizon nor the blue sky. Kagome glanced at him strangely, then shrugged and answered him. "I'm from Esthar. I'm sure Inuyasha's told you that."

"What side of Esthar?" Sesshoumaru growled. "I know of your country."

"Oh, um...the left side."

"And why do you not visit there now?"

"That's none of your business." She smiled when he glared at her, his golden eyes demanding an answer to his question. "Well it's not."

"You're disobeying an order Higurashi," he warned her. Kagome huffed and tossed the threat aside. "Whatever. I'm not doing anything of the sort. You know like I do that the only way I'm disobeying an order is when we're in battle and you tell me to do something pertaining to the battle. Anything else is whatever I want you to know."

"Well then," Sesshoumaru began, turning fully toward the surprisingly crafty human. 'Too much time spent around the kitsune,' he determined as Kagome lightly scratched her left wrist. He stared at a raised spot on her skin in the shape of a teardrop. It appeared to be a scar, but it was the same coloring as the rest of her arm so he left it for another time. "What if I make it my business?"

"Ok, what's the deal?!" Kagome demanded hotly. "What's your problem? You've done nothing but quiz me since we got here. It's like an inquisition or something! What did I do to you? Kick something of yours? Leave my shampoo in the tub? What IS IT!? Why do you keep picking on me?"

Sesshoumaru quirked a dark brow at her, the only sign of his slight ire and amusement at her exclamation before turning away to face the east. "I wasn't aware that I was 'picking' on you, as it were. I merely wish to learn more about you."

"But for what?" Kagome demanded with a hard sigh. "I mean, why do you even care? I'm just a human remember? I'm just like the rest of my kind."

"That you are," Sesshoumaru nodded in agreement. "And yet you are different. You train harder than any other specialist; excluding myself but including Inuyasha. You seem to have more focus, more drive than any human I've met either. You are...rare, Higurashi."

"Um...wow," Kagome whispered shyly, a slight blush rising on her cheeks. "Thanks. I didn't know you felt that way."

"My feelings have nothing to do with it," Sesshoumaru replied coldly. "It is the truth as I see it. Only your magic excels your gunblade skills. However," at this he glanced at her from the corner of his eye, golden eyes glittering in the early sunlight. "You will never be anywhere as good as this Sesshoumaru."

"**ARGH**!!" Kagome yelled in frustration. "I should have known!" She tossed her hands up in frustration and began to make her way off the roof. "I don't know what possessed me to even **think **that you were trying to be sociable to me! Only you would be able to turn a compliment into an insult! _Jeez_!!!"

Sesshoumaru leaned over the roof's edge and watched as she released the drainage pipe and dropped to the balcony below before shaking his head. 'Humans are strange,' he said to himself as he listened to her muttering. He frowned at a few dog insults before deciding to ignore her in favor of his surroundings. He turned back toward the sun and looked over the mansion next door to a field many yards behind it. Shepards were already in the fields, the little white dots that were the sheep ambling slowly across to graze in peace and quiet.

'No wonder Higuraish's aura has been so different here,' he mused as the sheep bleated below. 'It's peaceful here...though it is a little behind the rest of the worl-' His ears twitched as the loud roar of a car engine sounded in the distance behind him. He turned around and watched the large dust cloud that appeared near the items shop. He stood up and followed it, sunlit eyes narrowed slightly as the mini sandstorm swiftly approached him. He jumped from the roof once it passed the traffic sign in the middle of the yellow flower field, his altered viewing point helping him to recognize the cause of the disturbance. His white nimbus materialized beneath his feet in bare whispers of youki, slowing but not stopping his descent as he continued to eye the dirt cloud and the car that was causing it.

Sesshoumaru touched ground just as Kagome ran out of the front door of the tavern, her gunblade strapped to her side and one hand on the holster. "Isn't that our rental car?" she asked suddenly. Sesshoumaru frowned thoughtfully. "Yes, it is."

"Since when do they give you the same car?" Kagome wondered aloud. She squeaked in surprise and jumped back when the royal blue classic slammed on the breaks, finally coming to a stop where she was just standing. Kagome leaned over, one hand at the center of her chest as she bent over to try to catch her breath. Sesshoumaru observed this passively, his concern more on the car and the waves of despair coming from inside.

The car door flung open and Sango stepped out, completely ignorant of her audience as she viciously slammed the door shut. She growled under her breath and kicked the side once, twice, and again before fully taking out her frustration on the defenseless piece of metal. Kagome's jaw slackened as she and Sesshoumaru watched Sango punch, kick and shake the car with a fury she never knew her friend could possess.

"Sango?" Kagome called out after a moment, her hand extended toward her friend's shoulder. Sango whirled around, cinnamon eyes wide and dark as tears streamed down her face to wet her cheeks. "Sango, what's wron-" She gasped when Sango turned from her to Sesshoumaru, her eyes narrowing hatefully before spitting out

"You...this is your fault..."

And marching toward him, her fist pulled back and ready to break a few bones. Kagome gaped again, but this time only for an instant before grasping Sango's loose hand and jerking her backward. Sango stumbled into her and Kagome used her surprise to wrap an arm around her shoulders, the other to pin Sango's arm behind her neck before sweeping her leg from underneath her.

Sesshoumaru stood by while Kagome subdued her, her hold firm but gentle before whispering in Sango's ear. He listened on as Kagome reasoned with the older girl. Though Sango's advance had barely fazed him, he found himself unable to say the same about Kagome's quick reflexes. 'The little human would not have hurt me, but Higurashi does have some usefulness all the same.'

"Sango, you've got to calm down," Kagome whispered as Sango struggled to get free. "You can't punch him, even though I'd love to see you do it. Lord knows he needs it. But you can 't do it. If you do, we'll both get court marshaled and kicked out. You don't want that, right?" She sighed when the fog clouding Sango's eyes began to lift, the rage deep within the velvet orbs calming to despair.

"You've got to calm down and listen ok? We can't help you if you don't tell us what's wrong. Am I right?"

"Yeah Kagome," Sango choked out and sniffed. "Yeah. I'm good. You can let go now."

Kagome released her reluctantly, her eyes following her as Sango stood up stiffly and glared at Sesshoumaru. "What happened?" he asked. "And why are you back so early?"

"I'm back early because I can't get into Timber," Sango ground out. "It seems that Timber's under occupation...again."

"Again is right," Sesshoumaru said to himself. "One would think that country would've gotten stronger after Galbadia. Who has taken them over this time?"

"Believe it or not, Galbadia," Sango retorted and scowled when Sesshoumaru shook his head in disagreement. "Impossible," he assured her. "My father wouldn't allow it."

"Well," Sango said calmly, though her voice was swiftly rising in volume. "Do you know of another country that dresses their soldiers in that tacky assed blue?!! What's wrong with your pop Sesshoumaru?"

"I told you woman," Sesshoumaru growled softly. "Galbadia-isn't-responsible."

"Ok wait a sec," Kagome began as she stepped between them. "We don't know exactly what happened. All we know is that Sango couldn't get into the city and that there are soldiers there dressed like Galbadia soldiers. Now we don't know if Galbadia is involved-"

Sango 'hmnh'ed and turned up her nose.

"And we don't know if they're not-"

Sesshoumaru quirked a brow, but refused to speak.

"And until then, we're just going to have to wait and chill. Sango, you know it's probably nothing-"

"But you weren't there!" Sango shot back angrily. "They wouldn't even let me inside!!!! I couldn't see my mother or anything!"

"I know Sango, I know and I'm not trying to make light of things," Kagome appeased and put a comforting hand on her shoulder. "All I'm saying is that we shouldn't jump to conclusions. You know if anything was really, really wrong Shippou would cal-"

**RING-RING!**

**RING-RING!**

Kagome reached inside her pocket for her com-phone and glanced at the little screen on the lid before showing it to Sango. "See, look here," she said as she pointed to the tiny digital chibi fox on the screen. "This is Shippou now. I'll just ask him what's going on ok?" She waited for Sango to nod before flipping the phone open and pressing the 'Talk' button. To her surprise Zell appeared onscreen. "Oh, Instructor," Kagome said. She saluted quickly, as did Sango who stood at Kagome's right shoulder. Sesshoumaru looked on from the other side of the phone where Zell couldn't see. "What can I do for you sir?"

"Morning Private Higurashi, Private Almasy," Zell greeted from the other end of the line. "I have something important for your captain. Is he around?"

"He is. Hold on just two seconds." Kagome passed the phone to Sesshoumaru and, after a quick explanation on how it worked, handed Sesshoumaru the phone.

"Yes sir," Sesshoumaru greeted. "I'm here."

"Good. Good seeing you Captain Endo. The headmaster's called for all SeeDs to report back to Balamb Garden by next Monday. You're to leave your post as soon as possible and head for-"

"But what about the monster hunters?" Sango interrupted. "Out of the two that survived, on ly one is able to walk, and that's with a crutch. They're going to need more time to get better."

"That's already been taken care of," Zell answered and flicked a blonde lock away from his face. "You're replacements arrive at 08:00 hours tomorrow morning. You're to leave as soon as they arrive and head for Dollet. There you'll take a ferry to Balamb. You're also to meet up with Private Saikai as well."

"Miroku's there?" Sango whispered. "For what?"

"Sir," Kagome spoke up next. "What about Timber? Sango tried to go there today and-"

"This line isn't secure Kagome," Zell interrupted. "You'll find out what your new mission is once you arrive. Private Saikai has been authorized to inform you of what you've missed and believe me," his face became grave then, beautiful blue eyes dark and troubled as he glanced at the three.

"You've missed a helluva lot."

"Alright. Thanks Instructor," Kagome said with a slight wave before flipping the phone closed. "See," she said to Sango. "Everything's ok. Miroku's going to be in Dollet and in three days we'll know what's going on and we'll be going back home ok?"

"Yeah," Sango nodded weakly. "Yeah, I guess so."

"Now that we've received new orders," Sesshoumaru said as he glanced over the car and shook his head at the Sango-induced dents. "It's time to prepare for departure. Higurashi, I want you to make sure this car is in working order before we leave. Almasy, stock up on whatever supplies we may need, including fuel and food. The both of you are to be packed and ready to leave at 0730. That means bags in the trunk with the supplies ready to go. Is that understood?"

"Yes sir," they both replied with a sharp salute. "Um, Sesshoumaru?" Kagome said after Sango ran into the tavern to begin her part of the preparations. "What are you going to do?"

"I'm going to take a shower," Sesshoumaru answered as he too made his way toward their living quarters. "Then I'm going to go on patrol. I'm doing them for the rest of the day."

Kagome moved to offer to help him, but shrugged when he closed the door between them and disappeared inside. "Oh well," she mumbled to herself. She glanced at the car with a silent moan, already anticipating an afternoon with greasy fingers and frustration. "Guess I'll get started then," she muttered and proceeded to pop the hood. She coughed when white smoke billowed from the engine. "Good God," she gasped as she struggled to breathe.

"JEEZ SANGO, WHAT'D YOU DO TO THIS DAMNED THING?!!!"

III

Kagome hummed to herself as she drove past the cliffs, completely relaxed in the peace and quiet as her companions slept. 'Poor Sesshoumaru,' she said to herself as she glanced back at the taiyoukai. 'He's been driving for two days. No wonder he's so tired.'

She frowned in concern as she remembered yesterday morning, and how Sesshoumaru stopped the car to abandon the driver's seat. He grabbed Kagome's arm and plunked her into it, then took her place in the back and motioned for her to start the car. He was asleep before she could protest, his head thrown back against the headrest with his legs propped across the back seats and his tail firmly wrapped around him in a makeshift blanket.

'But he did look kinda tired,' Kagome reasoned with her irritation. 'I mean, he'd been up for two weeks before we left. It's amazing he lasted this far. I wonder why he doesn't keep a sleep planner. That's what Shippou used to do.' She smiled as she thought of him, remembering how the kitsune would phase to his animal form, curl up on a blanket in the middle of the floor (or on her pillow beside her when he was smaller) and fall asleep with his tail covering the tip of his nose. Kagome glanced at Sango and smiled at the peace on her features. She breathed out a sigh of relief and retreated to her inner thoughts.

'You know, this mission hasn't been so bad,' she said to herself with a smile. 'I mean, Sesshoumaru could have been a lot nastier than he was but he wasn't. And Sango and I....' She sighed and glanced at her friend, a fond smile spreading across her face as she watched her sleep with her head resting precariously against the seat belt. 'I would have never survived without her. She's....a true friend.' She glanced at Sango and Sesshoumaru again, assuring herself that the both of them were asleep before leaning toward Sango.

"I know I'll probably never say this to you when you're awake," she whispered as she kept an eye on the road ahead. "So I'm going to say it now; I...you're right. I hate saying it, but you're right."

"About what?" Sango muttered before taking a deep breath and opening her eyes. "What am I so right about?'

Kagome blushed in embarrassment but leaned back to her seat. "Um...about what we talked about before you left."

"What did we talk about...oh....." Sango nodded in remembrance, then shrugged and lightly slapped Kagome's shoulder. "No problem. You're not still mad at me are you?"

Kagome shook her head. "How could I when you're right? I'm want to do better, but I'm going to need some help. You wanna volunteer?"

"Gladly!" Sango exclaimed as she threw her arms around Kagome's neck. She jerked back when the car swerved, effectively throwing Sesshoumaru from his blissful nap while Kagome regained control. He glared around once, his sunlit eyes blurred and unfocused. He sniffed, grumbled something Kagome and Sango could only guess at, and went back to sleep, his head returning to the headrest behind him.

"Well that was new," Sango commented and giggled along with Kagome.

"Yeah I know," Kagome nodded. "Who'd have expected that from him?"

"Yeah...but..."

"But what?" Kagome asked and looked out the window at the cliffs surrounding them. Sango shrugged and stole a glance at the clueless youkai. "But he's kinda...cute like that."

"I'm totally not listening," Kagome said as she shook her head. "And just imagine what would happen if Miroku or Sesshoumaru were to hear you say that."

"Oh please," Sango brushed the threat aside. "Miroku still grabs other girls' rears. He can't exactly complain about me calling another guy cute. And Sesshoumaru's asleep so he can't do anything."

"Whatever," Kagome rolled her eyes. "But something tells me that he wouldn't appreciate being called cute."

"I don't."

The both turned and looked at him, their eyes widening as he stared back at them. "Oh, Sesshoumaru," Sango laughed nervously. "We were just...um-"

"Don't bother," he interrupted to point out the right hand window. "We are close...though you two would know that if you weren't so busy staring at me instead of at your surroundings." Both girls blushed and turned toward the right. At the top of one of the cliffs stood a communications tower, one that was rather old to still be in use. "That is Dollet's communication tower," Sesshoumaru explained after stifling a yawn. "Now that Sango, is still under Galbadia's control due to an agreement made-"

"Seventeen years ago," Kagome interrupted and blushed when he looked at her. "Um...we had this in history class."

"We did?" Sango chirped. "I don't remember it."

"You would have remembered that if you and Miroku weren't so busy sucking face in the back of the classroom."

"Shut up," Sango grumbled. "Since you know so much about it, how 'bout you tell us why Galbadia wanted it?"

Kagome rolled her eyes in exasperation. "Galbadia wanted it so they could make the first on air broadcast in 17 years. You do know why they couldn't broadcast before then right?"

"Yeah," Sango replied. "Because of some kind of disturbance in space."

"Hey, you were paying attention," Kagome laughed. "I'll tell Instructor Jinichi that when we get back."

"I insist that we save this little history lesson for another time," Sesshoumaru said as they approached the main road into Dollet. They stopped at the tollbooth and paid the 150 gil to pass, then drove straight into the auto rental beyond it.

"Like, hi," the girl working at the front office greeted as they parked the car in front of her and turned in their keys. "I hope you guys got here safely."

"Yeah, thanks," Sango nodded. "Um...is it alright that this car's from Timber?"

"Oh sure hunny," the girl nodded. "We've got plenty of cars here from Timber and Deling City. Don't worry about a thing!"

"Ok Captain," Kagome said as they left the rental dealership and stepped out onto the street. "Where to now? This is our first time in Dollet."

Sesshoumaru discretely scented the air and caught the scent of sea water coming from ahead of them. 'This way.' He walked along without warning, aware by now that Kagome and Sango would follow his silent command. 'This is my first time here as well,' Sesshoumaru reminded himself while Kagome and Sango glanced at the various shops and restaurants surrounding them.

"Isn't that Kiki's?" he heard Sango say as she pointed toward a little bistro with a green and red flag fluttering beside the door. "You know, that café Kikyou's so fond of?"

"Yeah," Kagome nodded excitedly. "She said that the spaghetti there was awesome!"

'Those two and food,' Sesshoumaru commented wryly. He thought back to their four months together and found that they hadn't been nearly as torturous as he once thought it would be. True, the two were still extremely childish, and he found himself walking in the middle of some silly fight between them (one in particular resulted with him ending up with a face full of cocoa powder), but they became completely different people in times of battle. The silliness left them quickly leaving seasoned warriors in their places. He honestly couldn't think of another rifleman that could compete with Sango, and Kagome...

'I have told her what I think of her,' he thought with a mental sigh. 'I honestly cannot say that I regret commanding them for this mission.'

"You guys look!" Sango exclaimed suddenly, her hand fisted against her jaw as she pointed ahead of them. "Is that...it is! Miroku!"

A young man standing at the docks a few feet ahead of them turned around, his shoulder-length ponytail flipping to rest over his shoulder. Familiar violet eyes smiled back at them as he opened his arms. "Hey Butterfl-oof!" He and Sango fell to the ground in a heap, with Sango sitting on top of him. She hugged him fiercely as Kagome and Sesshoumaru looked on, Kagome laughing at their cuteness and Seshoumaru shaking his head at the public display of affection.

"If you two are quite done," he interrupted after clearing his throat. Sango blushed and stood up, then offered Miroku a hand and dusted him off.

"I'm so sorry Miroku," she apologized. "I was just-"

"So happy to see me," Miroku finished for her. "It has been a long time Butterfly. I'm glad to see you too."

"Hey, what about me?" Kagome whined pitifully, her lower lip stuck in a slight pout. "You didn't miss me Miroku-monkey?"

"Jeez Kagome, don't call me that," Miroku blushed. He frowned as Kagome and Sango laughed, then shook his head. "Girls," he muttered before coming to attention in front of Sesshoumaru. "Private Miroku Saikai reporting Captain."

"At ease." Sesshoumaru surveyed the harbor, glancing over the various privately owned ships and sailboats before coming to the enormous gray freighter with Balamb Garden's insignia on the sides. "I take it this is our ride back to the Garden."

"Yup," Miroku nodded. "That's it, the _Othello_. Pretty name huh?"

"Quite," Sesshoumaru commented uninterestedly. He walked up the dock to the freighter's entrance and disappeared inside, with Miroku and the others following close behind. "You may begin your report now," Sesshoumaru said to Miroku. Miroku quickly took the lead and guided them down a set of stairs toward the cargo bay. "For one, we're supposed to bring a couple of supplies to the Garden for restocking."

"What kind of supplies?" Sesshoumaru inquired as they descended yet another flight of stairs.

"It's just little stuff, like food staples, potions and stuff like that." Miroku led then toward a large metal door at the end of the hallway, opened it and stepped aside so the others could enter. The group walked into the silent cargo bay quickly, and Miroku reported the innards of each crate to Sesshoumaru as they came across them.

"What is in this one?" he asked as he tapped a claw against an unusually large metal crate. It stood at 12x12x14 with no visible signs of how to open it. Sesshoumaru frowned when Miroku shrugged and demanded an explanation.

"I don't know," Miroku told the inu youkai. "I wanted to know what was in it too, but all the invoice says is that its 'mission supplies'."

"Show me." Sesshoumaru jerked the invoice from Miroku's hands and read over it. He mentally checked over everything that Miroku had previously pointed out to him and frowned when he found the crate's number and the description that proved Miroku right.

"How odd," Kagome said from over his shoulder. "I wonder what's in it."

"Me too," Sango said. "Can't we open it Sesshoumaru? Please?"

"Of course not," Sesshoumaru replied as he returned the invoice to Miroku's waiting hand. "This crate doesn't concern us. We will make sure it arrives safely, but we will not open it. Understood?"

"Yes sir," all three replied with a quick salute. They quickly fell into parade rest at Sesshoumaru's request, all three with their right hands resting on the hilt of their weapons as Sesshoumaru sat down on the crate and gathered his thoughts.

"Saikai, what time does the boat leave?"

"At 1430 hours sir," Miroku responded.

"Good. It's..." Sesshoumaru glanced at the watch on his right arm and nodded. "0825 now. At 0830 you're free to do as you please, so long as you make sure to gather your supplies and have your weapons serviced. Here." He took off his gunblade and handed it to Miroku, holster and all. "Take mine with you. Do not loose it."

"Y-yes sir," Miroku stuttered meekly, completely unnerved by the brief flash of red that clouded Sesshoumaru's eyes. "It's in good hands."

"Good, be sure that it is. You're to pick up anything that Balamb doesn't sell, like GF medicines and special ammunition. You're to be back here at 1400. Is that clear?"

"Yes sir."

"Good. Saikai, once you return you will inform the rest of us about what has happened in Timber and the rest of the world. Winhill is quite secluded, as I'm sure you're aware, so we are not as up to date with worldly news as you are. Until then, not a word to be spoken about it. Understood?"

"Yes sir," Miroku said with another salute.

"Good. You three are dismissed." Sesshoumaru watched as they quit the room, his shoulders slumping slightly once he was alone. 'Something of great importance is happening,' he said to himself as he looked over the various crates and boxes around him. 'What need does the Garden have of so many supplies? Most of this is unnecessary, while others could keep the Garden well stocked for a year or more. What are we not being told?' He sighed to himself and left the room, taking a moment to glance at the ship's map before heading up the stairs toward the bridge.

IV

Hours later the group was off, the boat having left port to begin it's four day journey to Balamb. Miroku, Sango and the others of their group sat on the outer deck. All of them found the inner cabins of the ship too cramped for their tastes and had gravitated toward the deck and the fresh sea air outside.

Kagome leaned over the side of the ship, closed her eyes and took a deep breath as the wind blew at her ponytail. This was her first time on a boat and she was enjoying herself and the warm tropical wind that caressed her face. She turned when Miroku cleared his throat, her gaze as expectant as the others while he waited for their attention.

"I'd like to begin my report now," he said to Sesshoumaru, who graciously motioned for him to begin. "What do you guys know?"

"That we can't get into Timber," Sango said quickly. "Why? What's going on? Why did Ambassador Endo invade Timber?"

"For the last time Almasy," Sesshoumaru growled heatedly. "My father is not responsible for Timber."

"He's right Sango," Miroku told them. "Ambassador Endo isn't responsible for Galbadia invading Timber-"

"See!" Sango shouted suddenly. "I TOLD you it was Galbadia!"

"It's Galbadia's new president," Miroku said. His brow furrowed at the virtual sea of confusion. "You guys don't have a clue as to what's happened do you?"

"Nuh-uh," Kagome said as Sango shook her head.

"OK then. Let's see..." Miroku sat down in the middle of them with Sango behind him, Kagome on his right and an abnormally quiet Sesshoumaru on his left. "About three months ago, this army attacked Galbadia. Now they got their butts kicked, but the Galbadia army took a beating too. Anyway, any of you remember Vinzer Deling?"

"He was president of Galbadia 17 years ago," Sango replied. "Um...he was killed when Sorceress Edna was ambassador."

"Yup," Miroku nodded. "Well anyway, it turns out that that guy had a son, Juromaro Deling. He came in right after that army did and took over. He declared himself lifelong president-"

'Like father like son,' Sesshoumaru quipped dryly. 'Humans are such fools. Didn't he realize that a statement like that would bring nothing but trouble?'

"And declared war on the rest of the world at the same time."

"Apparently not," Sesshoumaru muttered to himself as Sango and Kagome gasped. "Are you serious?" Sango exclaimed. "He wasn't that stupid was he?"

"Well, he didn't say 'I'm going to war with the rest of the world,'" Miroku said with a quick shrug. "But he made himself pretty clear as to what he wanted. He invaded Timber a few weeks later. He took the city Timber in three days. Inuyasha and Mrs. Leonheart were already at the Garden by then...along with your mom, pops and little brother Sango. Ambassador Endo was sent to Fisherman's Horizon two weeks before Deling's presidency."

"Oh thank goodness," Sango breathed a sigh of relief with a hand covering her heart. "I was so worried."

"Don't be," Miroku told her. "They came on the last running train from Timber."

"Last train?" Sesshoumaru repeated. "I take it this Deling has shut down the trains as well."

"Not all of them. Just the train stations in Timber and Deling City."

"But every train connects to either of those stations," Kagome said. "So he basically shut down the entire railway system."

"Yeah, I guess you're right," Miroku said after a moment's thought. "Anyway, he took Clearance after that. It was there he got the nickname 'SeeD Hunter'. Sorry Sesshoumaru," he bowed his head in sympathy. "You're old team never made it out. Deling either imprisoned them or shot them on sight."

"Oh no," Kagome whispered softly. "Jeez, I'm so sorry Sesshoumaru."

Sesshoumaru waved aside their concern. "Is that why the SeeDs are being recalled?"

"Yeah," Miroku nodded. "It's pretty much the same all over Galbadia. No town is safe from Deling."

"But what's going to happen once we get to the Garden?" Kagome asked. "I mean, are we just gonna hide? And what about Galbadia Garden? Aren't their SeeDs in danger too?"

'That is a good question,' Sesshoumaru agreed while Miroku shrugged. 'Once again her insight surprises me. Exactly what are the Gardens going to do, and what does this Deling have planned next?'

(End Chapter)

SF: Yup, that's the end! (Ducks flying fish) WTF?

Sango: (weighing another fish in her hands) Why'd you end it like that SF? What's going to happen to Timber?

Inu-chan: Forget Timber! When do we get to kick ass? There isn't enough fighting in this story! (Growls and for once Sesshou and Kouga agree with him)

SF: The fighting will begin shortly. Jeez, you guys have no patience. This chapter was to get Sesshou, Kagome and Sango in on the rest of the world's problems, that way when the next chapter rolls around no one will be like 'Huh?' Speaking of the next chapter, it's below. Who's doing the soliloquy this time?

Naraku: I will!

Kagome: (as Inu-chan cracks him in the head with Tötungmesser's handle) You're not in the story jerk.

Naraku: Exactly. I want to protest my absence

SF: Nope, don't want to hear it. Besides, Juromaru's in here. He's kinda like you.

Shippou: I want to do it again!

Inu-chan: But you just did it!

Kagome: Kikyou hasn't done one.

Kikyou: Kagome hasn't either.

SF: No, Kagome did the first one. I know...Kikyou, you do this one-and try to remember that you're a good guy in this story-and Kagome will do the one for the next chapter. How's that sound?

Inu cast: Dandy.

SF: Alright then. The preview is below. Oh, and there's an announcement that may be important on the bio page.

Kikyou: (reading over next chapter) The others should be back by tomorrow. I can't wait to see them! They're going to be so proud of my progress-but they don't have time for that do they? You would think the chaos in Galbadia was enough, but it seems like the Garden staff is on high alert for some reason. Is there something wrong with the Garden? And the headmaster is so secretive lately. I wonder what Inuyasha's next assignment going to be.

Next chapter- Chapter Seven: A Call to Protect

(Responses)

Inuinuinuinu, writerlover101, Larka the White Wolf, Kitt90, C. M. S.-12, Tyson, Dragon Rae, Strawberrylover, Minchi, Cutebaby, KyouFan17, xSilverShadowsx, UndecidedlyCertain, Skitzoflame, Wake Robin: Thanks so much for reviewing you guys! Another chapter's on the way! Don't forget to check my bio page for that announcement!

ivei: Nope. In the game, Rinoa is General Caraway's daughter. That's who sends Irvine to get her out of the Desert Prison. So nope, they're not related!

Thesta: Lol! Yup! Inuyasha's the one with Ifrit. I think it fits don't you? Shippou has Tonberry King and Kouga ....well, I haven't exactly thought of that yet. Dude, Maybe I need to figure something out for him.

ReginaLucifer: Yeah, but they're in almost every chapter afterward...except for one if I remember correctly. Nope, no Naraku in this story. He's been replaced by Juromaru. That's why their origin stories are so alike. Kageromaur and Kagura may be in this, but I'm not entirely sure. We'll just have to see won't we? (Wink!)

Dark Neko-chan: Yup, he's here in spirit. You're the second person to call Rinoa that! Why don't you guys like her? And Squall, that was just wrong. There's got to be more to love than just her ass. Squall: Um...nope. (Shakes head) That's it . SF: (shakes head) Figures. Of course I loved Junsei. You always do the best work! Thanks again for being so quick with it!

black tigeress: Thanks a lot. Yeah, I caught that and fixed it...at least I hope I fixed it.

Row: They're right here. A lot of time has passed since our three SeeDs were dispatched to the country.

NoLabel: Really? Dude!! (Giggles) As for the LP...nope. You're pretty much stuck fighting Sefier on your own. But you will get a chance to get him, Bahemut and Eden once you get on Disc Four. All of those places are either dungeons or labs so you'll be good to go. Oh, and Tonberry King is there too, but I don't know if you want to take the time and energy to get him. He's a hard dude, and you have to defeat 18-20 Tonberrys to get the chance to fight the King. As sure as I sit here, it'll make you mad. Made me mad as all Hell. Oh dude, you need to see the Blue Collar Comedy Tour for sure! That's the funnies thing on TV yet. It's got Larry, That Bull dude....what is his last name? Oh well. Jeff Foxworthy is on it too along with another guy. I'm so sorry. I'm so bad with names. And when are you going to finish your trilogy? I checked on it a few days ago and thought I'd ask.

wackoramaco87: (blush) Thanks. I'm glad you like it so much. I really wasn't sure about writing it but my beta said to go straight for it. My beta's so cool. Anyway, there are going to be a few snippets from FFX and FFX-2 like the dresses and the ability to ride on the GFs. From what I got from the story (cause I haven't played FFX myself) dude eats it in the end. I thought maybe that was the case too but it's something about the Farplane that proves he's dead already. I don't know. I'm confused too. I'm going to have to do research.

Mistress Fluffy: lol. I try at least. You must have some kind of camera in my house, because I just got FFX-2 for Christmas! It's going pretty good so far. I'm already on the third chapter. Um...I'll be honest though. My beta helped me find a walkthrough to beat all walkthroughs. Email me if you want the site link. It's absolutely amazing!

beautifulsilentdeath: Thanks so much! (Bows) This story isn'T as hard as I thought it would be. I think that's why I plan on finishing it instead of jumping between stories like always. Unordinary Silver is on pause, but ZE has been canceled until further notice. My old computer ate the third chapter to that story and now I can't remember what the heck it was. I know it's important to the story, so it's on hold until I remember it.

angel16: Hey, are you and the Inu gang trying to gang up on me? Lol. Yup, the bad guy's finally here and the fighting is going to start as soon as the next chapter.

Fire Phoenix: Politics suck. I'm confused too. Lol. No, I'm playing. If you need me to, I can explain it to you. Just send me your email and I'll hit you back. The gang's all together now so the blocks are going to click together really soon. There's a plot within a plot with this story (then again...isn't there a plot within a plot with all the stories...) so be on the look for that too!

Tonberri: Nope, they weren't in the last chapter. Had to introduce the villain and let you guys know what the others are doing. Kagome and the others are deep in the country, so they don't have a clue what's going on. Juromaru and his familiar (lots of people say brother but my brother doesn't live in my throat) Kageromaru were in a few episodes after Inuyasha's fang was used to repair Tetsusaiga. Then you're probably happy to know that I'm ...no, I tell you what. I've got really good news for you on my bio page. Yup, a lot of people say it but I like hearing it as much as I possibly can. I'm a glutton for that king of thing!

Blue Goddess Fyre: (blush) Thanks. I worry a lot about how the story's going and whether or not the cross-over's over the top. It's always good to hear that it's not.

Yume no Zencho: Yup, Naraku and Juromaru are kinda combined in this story. For real though, I would suggest finding a picture of him just to see what he looks like in his new form. Why don't you guys like Rinoa? Yeah, she's annoying and stuff, but she's sweet. Awww. Sesshoumaru's psychic abilities will be used in the future, but not for a while now. Thanks for the chapter number too. (Sigh) Twenty-three years old and still can't count. How sad is that.

Kauro: You know what? I don't have a clue. From what I hear, InuTaishou is supposed to be Inu no Taishou. Its translated as 'Dog Boss' or something like that. Then some girl said something about Myouga calling him Sigumi or something like that. I don't know but I thought it would be a pleasant change.

LtSonya: Yeah, everyone was missing that lovable oversized dog. Lol. There will be a little more focus on Shippou in this story, especially since he's older and can be used for more than comic relief. He and Inuyasha are good enough at that already. Rinona is a handful, so who better to protect her than him?

Aznchicki: Really? What are the other two stories? I'm wondering how I managed the chapters myself. Half of the chapter is screwed because Fanfiction is the internet's Mad Hatter.

Inudemoness247: Sorry. No action in this chapter. But the next one is just as good as gold in the fighting department. There's going to be a lot of changes in Kagome's personality too. Our favorite specialist is going to become a little more stable, and a little more trusting of those around her. Sesshoumaru's due for a change too and that's all in the plans for the next couple of chapters!


	8. A Call to Protect

Disclaimer: No, I don't own it. I wish I did though. Then again, the fame might go to my head. We don't want that now do we?

Chapter Eight: A Call to Protect

I

Shippou sat on the Garden stairs in front of the gate's control booth, his elbow resting on his right knee with his chin in the palm of his hand. His left leg shook rapidly as it stretched out ahead of him and his tail twitched as it rested over his right shoulder. 'Where is she?' he growled to himself as he glanced at his watch. 'It's Monday, so she's supposed to be here. If Sesshoumaru let anything happen to her I'll-'

"Shippou?"

Shippou looked up and into Kikyou's dark eyes, his narrowed slightly as she stepped away from the slightly crimson orbs. "Are you ok?" He growled in response, the low, guttural warning sending shivers up and down her spine. "Um...alright then." She sat down on the stairs a little away from him and watched him warily. "You know, it's only 8:00. I don't even think the train's arrive-"

"You obviously haven't heard," Shippou finally said, his normally cheerful voice foreign in it's cynicism. "The trains in Galbadia have been stopped. The only way here and to FH is by boat...or Garden."

"Oh man," Kikyou gasped. "No, I hadn't heard."

"Don't see how," Shippou mumbled. "Where's Inuyasha?"

"Oh, he's still asleep."

"Hmnh," Shippou replied, his nose finally registering Inuyasha's scent as it wafted from Kikyou's skin. "Spent the night together again huh?" He frowned at her blush and scooted away from her. "You know the two of you will be in big trouble if the Garden staff finds out."

"Yeah, I know," Kikyou nodded. "But we use protect-"

"I don't even care," Shippou interrupted quickly, his hand thrown up to prevent her from continuing. Kikyou nodded and fell silent, occasionally stealing glances at the irate kitsune. "I...I brought you breakfast," she said before offering him a small white bag. Shippou accepted it after a moment, his nose already catching the hints of fresh blueberry muffin and hot chocolate.

"You know it's too hot for hot chocolate right?" he said as he opened the bag and brought out the muffin. Kikyou nodded. "So what? Hot chocolate makes everything better, even waiting on a friend."

Shippou ate as he thought over her wisdom, then brushed a crumb from his lip and nodded in her direction. "You know Kik, you're not half bad."

Kikyou blushed again and smiled. "You're not so bad yoursel-What?" Kikyou asked when Shippou jumped to his feet, his tail completely stiff as his nose twitched eagerly. "What is it?"

"Shhhhh," he whispered past the finger against his lips. He concentrated intently, his nostrils rapidly twitching as he sniffed the morning air. 'No, must have been a mistake,' he thought gloomly as he sagged back to his seat. 'I could have sworn-'

"Shippou!"

His head jerked up and behind him toward the commons circle, the red fading from his eyes as he scanned the early morning crowd of students. Kikyou looked up as well and stood when he did, watching him as he shifted from one foot to the other. "Is it her Shippou?" she asked as a wide smile began to spread across his face. Shippou didn't answer her, his excitement blocking out all other voices and scents except for three. One was obviously masculine, with notes of leather, sandalwood and surprisingly cucumber. The second was cinnamon coated wilderness and gunpowder but the third was what he was waiting for, the unique perfume of caramel excitement entwined with water lilies.

"Where are you Ship?"

He grabbed Kikyou and began to run, ignoring her squeak of surprise as he sprinted down the hallway toward the three. He barely heard the gatekeeper's cry to come back and clean up the mess they left, his ears trained more on the sweet melancholy voice that filled his ears and his heart. He ignored the stares of the Garden students as he ran past them, he and Kikyou no more than black and red streaks as he sprinted down the hallway toward the parking lot. He grinned when he saw her, turquoise eyes smiling happily at him as she jumped and waved her arms.

"Hey!" Kagome cheered as Shippou sat Kikyou down and Sango got out of the car. "You sure got here fast! You must have been wait-Eeep!" She squealed and giggled when he picked her up and spun her around, his tail returning to it's long forgotten place around her waist. "I guess you missed me huh?" she said while Sango and Miroku greeted Kikyou.

"Are you ok?" Shippou asked when he finally put her down. He grabbed her by the arm and spun her around, his eyes roving over her light jeans and royal blue fitted shirt with 'Dangerous' on the front in white glittery cursive. He stared in surprise at the clear heels on her feet and stepped back once he was throughly sure she was without injury. "How was Winhill? Did you get hurt? How's Miroku's dad? Sesshoumaru didn't hurt you did he?"

"Hold on Ship," Kagome said as she struggled to catch her breath. "We're fine and-"

"And I have hurt no one," Sesshoumaru interrupted as he too emerged from the car. He popped the trunk open, grabbed his duffle bag and left it open for the others. "Well, no one that didn't deserve it at least. What is going on kit?"

"Oh, you mean why are you guys here?" Shippou said as he grabbed Kagome's duffle and slug it over his shoulder. "To be honest Sesshoumaru, I don't know. No one does unless you're a part of the Garden staff. The only thing I know is that there's supposed to be some kind of special announcement delivered to our rooms at 10 this morning."

"Good. That is all I need to know." Sesshoumaru retrieved his gunblade case next before turning toward the Garden entrance. "If anyone needs me...tell them to bother someone else."

"Man," Miroku said when Sesshoumaru finally disappeared. "That was rather rude of him."

"Yeah well what do you expect?" Shippou shrugged as he led them toward the Garden entrance. "He's a tri-"

"Where's Inuyasha?" Sango asked and regretted it when Kagome flinched slightly. Kikyou and Shippou noticed it, but Kikyou was the only one unaware of the reason as she answered her. "He's asleep. He said something about catching up with us later."

"Oh, ok then," Kagome said with a smile. "So...is breakfast still on? I'm starving."

"Yeah," Shippou nodded. "Come on." The group walked toward the cafeteria happily, exchanging jokes and gossip the other three managed to miss while on their missions. Shippou looked on as Kagome laughed with the others, her mood and aura lightened in comparison to when she left.

"Stop worrying about her Ship," Sango whispered to him as the others stepped into the lunch line. "Kagome and I had a little talk and she's good."

"Are you sure?" he asked, then sniffed and groaned.

"Yeah I'm sure. Why?"

"Cause we're going to see in a few." Shippou pointed over her shoulder and Sango turned around just as Inuyasha entered the cafeteria. Kagome saw him next and smiled, her hand faltering in its wave as he and Kikyou exchanged a quick kiss.

"Just where have you been Inuyasha?" Kagome scolded as he jumped in line ahead of her. He grunted in surprise when she pushed him out and regained her place.

"What the hell?" he spat out. "Just what's your problem Kagome?"

"My problem is-"

"And here they go," Miroku groaned as he, Sango and Shippou watched the brewing fight. "They haven't even stood in the same room for five minutes and they're already at it."

"You!" Kagome continued. "Just who in the hell do you think you are jumping in front of me? You haven't even said hello you jerk!"

"Well damn," Inuyasha grinned as he stepped back in front of her. "If that's what it takes to get breakfast then 'Hey!'"

"Jackass," Kagome grumbled, ignoring her friends' gasp of surprise as she shoved him behind her toward Kikyou. "Stand back there or get to the back of the line."

"Damn," Shippou laughed while Inuyasha complained and called her names behind her back. "You're right Sango. She does seem to be alright. This just might be more fun that I expected."

)-(

Kagome wearily stood against the door of her room, her forehead resting against the door's surface and the slip of paper taped to the front of it. 'I'm so tired,' she thought to herself as she ripped it down and pulled her ID tag out of her pocket. She slipped it through the scanner on the doorknob and waited for the familiar click of the lock opening before shoving the door open. She dropped her duffle bag on the floor beside the door and flopped down on the bed, her bleary eyes barely aware of the door shutting itself as she breathed a deep sigh and closed her eyes.

'I wish we never left Winhill,' she said to herself sadly. 'At least there I wouldn't have to watch Inuyasha and Kikyou slobber all over each other. (Sigh) I shouldn't think things like that. I'm really glad to see them, and if we were still in Winhill then I wouldn't get to see Shippou. He's grown so much since we last saw each other.' She sat up with a lighthearted smile as she remembered the rest of the day and how excited Shippou had been to see her.

'Shoot, it wouldn't surprise me if he had every girl in the Garden following behind him like lovesick puppies.' She laughed out loud at that, her mood lightened considerably as she made her way to the small bathroom attached to her room. She took a quick shower, allowing the hot water and the soapy suds to wash away the day's wear on her nerves. She quickly dried and changed into a pair of black cotton shorts and a white t shirt, her damp hair still wrapped inside one of her fluffy towels when she remembered the slip of paper she found on her door.

"Now what did I do with that thing..." she asked herself as she searched the top of her desk. "Ah-hah!" she chirped as she grabbed the paper off her desk and plunked down in the chair in front of it. "Now let's see..." she said as she began to read. She quickly scanned the paper once, then slowed down to read it a second time before groaning.

Balamb Garden Flyer for Monday, May 15

The annual Garden Festival has been canceled until further notice. Those that planned on participating should check with First Cadet Ronso for compensation.

Instructor Kinneas has canceled the Fire Cavern Field Exams for this week. Please check with either Instructors Kinneas or Trepe for make up exams.

Disciplinary Committee Announcement: Once again, we have found evidence of Forbidden magic used on Garden property. Forbidden Magic is **FORBIDDEN** for a reason! Subjects found using this magic on Garden property will be immediately turned over to the Headmaster for disciplinary action.

**!!!!!Important Notice!!!!!**

All returning SeeD members are to report to the Quad IN FULL UNIFORM at07:30 a.m. on Tuesday, May 16 for mandatory meeting and new assignments.

TARDINESS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED!!!!

"Oh man," she said to herself as she dropped the paper back to the desk's surface. "Well, I'm not sleeping in tomorrow, that's for sure. Oh well." She walked over to her duffle bag and unpacked it, making sure to place any worn clothes in her laundry hamper before hanging the clean ones inside her closet and her uniform on a hook on the back of her door. "There," she said as she dusted off her hands. "That's it for that. Hmmm...let's see. I guess I should clean Junsei before tomorrow. I can almost guarantee that someone will check for it."

II

Sesshoumaru slowly entered the quad, his golden eyes casually roaming over his surroundings as other SeeDs whispered to each other around him. 'It is too early for this,' Sesshoumaru grumbled in aggravation as the early morning sun shone in the eastern sky. 'The human SeeDs are going to be too tired to listen...not that I care of course.' He took a moment to reposition his tail, his eyes closed as the appendage removed itself from around his waist to settle around his shoulders and hang from his left side. He actually liked the way his uniform looked with his tail draped over it, though he'd never admit to something so vain and frivolous. His gunblade, Shikyo, bumped against his side with every step as he descended the first of two sets of marble stairs.

"Captain Endo!" Sesshoumaru glanced to his right at Instructor Trepe, who stood a little away from the side of the pathway. "This way please." She waited as he approached her and handed him a slip of paper.

"What is this?" he asked as he read over the list of names.

"That's your letter assignment," Instructor Trepe answered before gesturing toward the rows of seats set up in the quad square. "The chairs over there are assigned by squad letter. You're F, I think. You and those that are on that list are to sit in that section."

"Thank you Instructor."

"No problem Captain," she said before walking away. Sesshoumaru looked over the list of names with a mental sigh. 'As if I do not have other things to deal with,' Sesshoumaru said to himself before glancing up at the top of the stairs. He watched as Kagome appeared at the top of the quad entrance, his thoughts once again turning to ponder the female specialist. She glanced around her nervously, ignorant of the appreciative stares from her male counterparts as she searched the crowd for someone she recognized. Teal eyes spotted him and she smiled in relief before running to catch up with him, her gunblade's sliver holster bumping against her side.

"Hey," she greeted with a smile. "Good morning Captain."

"Good morning to you as well Higurashi," Sesshoumaru greeted politely before glancing back over the list of names. A slight smile touched his lips as he read her name, wondering to himself how he managed to skip over it as she continued to talk to him.

"Have you seen any of my friends?" she finally asked him. "I haven't seen Sango, Shippou or the others all day."

"They should be arriving shortly," Sesshoumaru answered, though he could care less whether they showed or not. "Here." He handed her his name's list and explained. "It seems that you and Almasy are once again in my squad."

"Yeah, I see that," Kagome nodded as she read the list. "Along with Shippou, Miroku and Inuyasha. Man, you can't be happy about that last one."

"I tolerate Inuyasha on occasion," Sesshoumaru replied as Miroku and Sango appeared on the stairs. "Though the less I have to the better off he is." He looked down at her when she laughed, his brow quirked in surprise when she covered her mouth to muffle the sound and hide her smile. "Just what is so amusing?" he asked, though somewhere inside him he didn't mind her laughter. It was almost...musical, and knowing that he made her laugh caused something to stir withi-

"Oh, just you," Kagome said, interrupting his inner musings and giving him a chance to completely evict the wayward thoughts before they had a chance to take root in his mind. "You actually made a joke, and a good one too."

"I am not the cold hearted bastard everyone thinks I am," he told her before his eyes trained on Miroku and Sango as they walked up behind Kagome. "Be sure to lead the others to our section," he said before turning on his heel and walking away. Kagome and the others watched him just as Inuyasha and Shippou walked into the quad, the two youkai deciding to skip the stairs and jump the distance to their friends.

"Yo, what's up?" Inuyasha asked. "And what's goin' on here?"

"Oh, um...let's see here," Kagome said before reading off the names again. "Ok then. Nobody's missing so-."

"Missing?" Shippou repeated as Inuyasha snatched the paper from Kagome's hands.

"Hey! Give that back you jerk!"

"Stop being an ass Inuyasha," Shippou growled as he grabbed the paper and returned it to Kagome before Inuyasha had a chance to read it. "Anyway, what's going on?"

"Oh, just that we're supposed to be in the same squad, that's all."

"That's all?" Sango chirped. "That's ALL?! Dude, we're all in the same squad!!!!"

"Um, don't celebrate yet," Shippou told her while she pounced on Miroku and gave him a fierce hug. "I smell Sesshoumaru all over that paper."

"Yeah, me too," Inuyasha said, his signature scowl already on his face. "Why the hell would you let him read it?"

"He let **me** read it," Kagome replied with a huff. "He's our captai-"

"ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME?!" Inuyasha exploded. The others jumped back as the rest of the quad stared at him curiously, watching as he fumed like a smoking locomotive.

"Could you calm down?" Shippou quipped as he brushed down the fur on his tail. "Jeez, you're such a drama queen."

"Shut up brat," Inuyasha snapped angrily. "You know Sesshoumaru and I don't get along."

"Well looks like you're going to have to get over it," Miroku said with a yawn. "I don't think it can be changed can it?"

"Nope," Kagome said after flipping over the paper. "Says so right her-Hey!!!" she cried out as Inuyasha once again snatched the paper from her. She crossed her arms and walked away, leaving him with a final "Jerk!" before leading them to Sesshoumaru's section of the quad. He stood up and allowed the others to take their seats in their row, with Miroku sitting next to Sesshoumaru, Sango and Kagome next to Miroku, and Shippou and Inuyasha taking the last seats on the row.

"Why do I have to sit with Mr. Grumpy?" Shippou complained as the other SeeDs began to fill the seats around them. Kagome giggled as Inuyasha scowled, then quickly threw a Stop spell in his direction when he raised his fist to clobber the unsuspecting kitsune.

"Shame on you Inuyasha," Kagome scolded with a whisper. "You should behave yourself."

"Yeah?" Inuyasha said as he struggled to get out of the spell. "Well you should kiss my a-" His mouth snapped closed with an audible click, his eyes stretching open in alarm while the others laughed at his expense.

"Just sit there and shut up numb-nuts," Shippou teased, then quieted along with the others as one of the instructors gestured for silence. "The meeting's about to start." Inuyasha grumbled silently but ceased his struggle to shake off the spell, deciding to wait until it dissolved on it's own as Headmaster Leonheart called the assembly to order.

Squall glanced over the crowd of SeeDs that stretched before him like a black sea before clearing his throat. "Thank you for attending this meeting," he began with a clear voice. "As I'm sure you all are aware, things in Galbadia have progressed from bad to worse in the past three months under the new president. I don't have to tell those of you that were stationed in the nation of how bad things are, especially for SeeD members." He waited patiently for the mumbles of agreement to cease before continuing. "Also, I'm sure those of you that have been stationed at the Garden are aware of the slight increase of activity in the Garden itself."

"Slight activity?" Shippou mumbled and winced when Kagome jabbed her elbow into his side. "Shoot, I'd hate to see what they call an emergency then."

"Command-Instructor Trepe will explain the reason for your return, and for the sudden activity in the Garden. Quistis?" He stepped aside as Quistis approached the front, a clipboard in her hands and a pen behind her ears as her audience focused on her.

"Just as the Headmaster explained," she began with a sigh. "The continent of Galbadia has become hazardous for SeeD members. All SeeDs once stationed in both Galbadia and Timber have been either imprisoned or are classified as MIA or KIA. However, this is something we all are aware of."

She began to pace then, her boots clicking back and forth against the gray cobblestone, her head down and the clipboard clasped behind her back. "Though hostile activity has stopped with the occupation of Timber, there have been rumors of Deling planning an attack on the Gardens." She frowned when her audience began to mumbled amongst themselves, her displeasure echoing through the captains until they regained control over their squad.

"Galbadia has launched attacks against the Gardens in the past, before Sigumi Endo became ambassador seventeen years ago," Quistis reminded everyone as she continued pacing. "Since then, there has been peace between Galbadia and the rest of the world. That peace ended with Juromaru Deling, Vinzer Deling's son. We have studied his progress and his choice of aggressions and have found the threat against the Gardens to be very serious, and quite real.

"An executive decision made by the headmasters of all three Gardens has been made in reference to the students. Seed members are to report to their home Gardens at once and remain there, as that Garden will remain your station. Are there any questions?"

"Yes?" she pointed toward a SeeD on the far left. "What is it?"

"What are we supposed to do while we're stationed here?" a SeeD stood up and asked. Quistis gestured to Squall, who leaned against the wall behind her. "Headmaster Leonheart will explain that once we're finished. Anything else?"

"What's the plan if we're attacked?" one SeeD member who stank of fear and nervousness stuttered.

"The plan for Balamb and Galbadia Gardens is to evacuate as many as we can, then move the Garden's themselves to a specific rendevous point on Esthar continent. Anything else?"

"What about Trabia Garden?" Shippou asked as he stood up. "They're Garden can't move, so how are they supposed to meet at the rendevous point?"

"That's a good question Private Makayura," Squall said as he took his place beside Quistis. "And one we hope to not have to ask."

"So...there's no plan then?" Inuyasha said once the Silence spell finally wore off. Kagome, Sango and Miroku lightly slapped their foreheads in embarrassment at his crassness as Shippou jerked him back to his seat.

"There is a plan," Squall assured him as the other SeeDs began to mumble once again. "So there's no need to worry. Anyway, as Command-Instructor Trepe said, I'm going to explain your purpose here at the Garden. Each squad is assigned to pretty much the same thing: Ensure that the students that don't want to stay at the Garden are evacuated, and the students that do stay are prepared for what that entails. Students from either Timber or Deling City are to be properly looked after as well."

"Babysitting," Inuyasha growled irritably. "Man, not another one."

"Some squads will be assigned to supplies, both medical and food staples. All of you have been assigned to a squad letter and captain. Any orders your captain receives entail all of the squad unless told otherwise-" He stopped as Hojo came running down the stairs, his eyes frantic before finally settling on Squall.

"Headmaster!" he called before coming to a stop beside him. "This just came in!" Squall thanked him and accepted the slip of paper in his hands, taking a moment to read it before glancing at him.

"Are you sure?" he asked Hojo and frowned when Hojo nodded furiously. "I see. If you'll excuse me," he said to the assembly before following Hojo up the stairs. Quistis and the SeeDs watched as he disappeared before erupting into whispers around her.

"What do you think that's about?" Kagome whispered to Sesshoumaru while Quistis attempted to regain control of the assembly. Sesshoumaru's tail twitched in annoyance. "I do not know, but it has nothing to do with us," he told her as the others calmed down.

"Alright, that's enough," Quistis yelled as the assembly struggled back to order. "Now, as I'm sure the Headmaster would have said if he hadn't been called away, your captains are to receive assignments from the cafeteria if your letters are A-G, from the infirmary if your letters are H-N, from the library if your letters are from O-U, and from here if your letters are from V-Z. You all are dismissed."

Kagome and the others quickly jumped from their seats, with Sesshoumaru standing up at a much slower pace. "Ok, so now what?" Sango asked him as he brushed off his tail.

"Hmmm," Sesshoumaru began thoughtfully. "I'm going to the cafeteria to receive our assignment. You do as you please, but make sure I can find you."

"Alright then," Miroku said as Sesshoumaru walked away from the little group. Inuyasha scowled as he left and immediately began complaining, not caring if the others ignored him or not as Shippou sat down beside Kagome and draped an arm around her shoulders.

"Hey Kag, what's wrong?" he asked as she looked up at him. "You look a little worried about something."

"It's nothing," Kagome said as she shook her head. "I was just...a little dizzy, that's all."

"Hey, are you alright?" Sango asked as she and Miroku kneeled down in front of her. Kagome nodded and attempted to brush aside their concern with a lighthearted smile.

"Yeah you guys I'm fine," Kagome nodded before standing up with a yawn and a stretch. "It was just a second anyway. I'm good now."

"You guys heard her," Inuyasha growled from above them. "She said she's fine so stop hovering over her like a bunch of mother hens."

"Shut up Inuyasha," Shippou retorted as he helped Kagome stand. "You were worried too. I can smell it on you."

"Yeah, well...um..." Inuyasha stuttered with a blush and a quick scratch behind his ear. "Fuck this. Come on you guys, _Sesshoumaru's _bound to be waiting."

Kagome and the others followed behind him, Sango and Miroku deeply involved in their conversation while Shippou remained in close contact with her. She wavered on her feet for only a second and quickly caught herself before Shippou or the others could realize it before giving a gentle sigh.

'I just don't understand it,' Kagome said do herself. 'I've never been sick before, so why now? And for some reason, I think I saw something...or someone...watching me.' She shivered as blue eyes smiled at her from her mind's eye and assured Shippou once again that she was fine before leaving the quad for the commons circle beyond.

III

Sesshoumaru glanced over the weekly supply report, his eyes blurring slightly as he counted off the correct boxes for the inventory.

'I'm starting to wish we never left Winhill,' he sighed to himself as he checked off a marked box. He glanced to his right at a sigh and watched Kagome as she sat lotus style beside a group of boxes. She glanced up and smiled at him, and he responded with a nod before turning away.

'Why is she so comfortable around me?' he wondered as he continued with his duties. 'The others almost insist on performing other tasks, but she does anything I ask of her, regardless of her personal comforts.' He smirked as he thought about a task she performed the day before. He had asked Inuyasha to clean one of the furnaces, a task also set for Squad F by the headmaster. Upon asking, he left Inuyasha to the task. However, he returned and found Kagome's feet sticking out of the furnace door.

He promptly ordered her out and watched with a smirk as she emerged, caked from head to toe in pitch black soot. He only recognized her by the frown on her face and the blue-green eyes sparkling back at him.

"_Just what are you doing in there?" he asked, his smirk unknowingly softening as she propped the sweep against the furnace and attempted to dust off her hands. _

"_Well, Inuyasha said he didn't want to do it so..."_

"_So you decided to take it up on yourself instead of telling me?"_

"_What good would it have done?" Kagome asked with an irritated sigh. "You and Inuyasha would have argued and the furnace still would have been dirty. So I thought I'd save you the trouble."_

'And save me the trouble she did,' he said to himself as he glanced back at her. 'Again she surprises me. I'm beginning to think that this is the norm around her.' Sesshoumaru glanced up as the door to the storage room slammed shut and approached the Garden staff member as he rounded the corner.

"Are you Captain Endo?" the staff member demanded. Sesshoumaru frowned at the disrespect, but nodded. "The headmaster wants to see you." The staff member left without another word, leaving Sesshoumaru to stew as Kagome stood up and dusted the sawdust from her hands.

"What was that about Captain?" she asked, wide blue eyes innocently focused on him. "And why would the headmaster want to see you?"

"I don't know," Sesshoumaru admitted before retrieving the clipboard from her hands. "We should find out, don't you think?"

"Um, yeah," Kagome said as she followed him out of the room and up the stairs to the cafeteria above. They quickly made their way toward the elevator, and Kagome waited while Sesshoumaru used his ID card to gain access to the third floor.

The two stepped off the elevator, walked down the hallway and into the headmaster's office to find Squall sitting behind his desk barricaded behind stacks of paperwork. He looked up when they entered the room and signed gratefully, cool blue eyes focused on them as he stood from his work and walked around the desk to them.

"Please, don't do that," he said when Kagome and Sesshoumaru snapped to attention. "Trust me, there's no need for that here. Besides, you don't have time for it."

"What do you mean sir?" Kagome asked. Squall glanced from her to Sesshoumaru quizzically. "Why is she here?" he asked.

"She was with me when you summoned me," Sesshoumaru answered. "I asked her to come with me, seeing as how she'll receive word of this meeting anyway."

"Quite right Sesshoumaru," Squall laughed jovially. "I actually don't mind. I'm glad you're here Kagome." Kagome smiled and bowed her head respectfully as Squall walked to the windows behind his desk and stared out into the open air and mountains beyond. "I'm giving you and your squad a new assignment Captain Endo. It's one of great importance so I need both of you to give me your undivided attention."

"Of course sir," Kagome replied. "We're listening, right Captain?"

"As always," Sesshoumaru replied dryly. "Do continue Headmaster."

Squall turned to face them, all good cheer erased from his countenance. "Our informant in the New Galbadian army-"

"_New_ Galbadia sir?" Kagome interrupted. Squall nodded. "Yes. The new president has decided to call the Galbadia under his rule the New Galbadia. Anyway, the informant has confirmed our worst suspicions. Deling has been planning an aerial assault for the past three weeks."

"Oh no," Kagome breathed, her hands flying to her mouth the moment Sesshoumaru glared in her direction. She gave him an apologetic shrug as Squall continued.

"The mobile assault will begin in four days. By then, Galbadia and Balamb Gardens will be well on their way to Esthar."

"I see," Sesshoumaru nodded thoughtfully. "What about Trabia Garden?"

"That's where your squad comes in," Squall said with a mischievous smile. "You and your team are to go to Trabia Garden and evacuate the few remaining staff members, students, and SeeDs."

"Isn't it still winter there?" Kagome asked and groaned when Squall nodded.

"It's always winter in Trabia Kagome," Squall told her. "Provisions for yourselves and your passengers will be provided, as well as some all weather uniforms. The only thing you have to worry about is time."

"Speaking of time," Sesshoumaru spoke up with a thoughtful tap on his cheek. "We will not have enough time to reach Trabia before the missile strike."

"Of course you will," Squall disagreed.

"How so?" Sesshoumaru countered. "It's not possible... unless you plan on flying us there."

"Actually Captain Endo-"

Kagome gasped and Sesshoumaru stepped back as a mechanical dragon rose outside the window behind Squall, it's gigantic metallic claws deeply embedded in the steel framing.

"**You're **going to fly. You've had some flight training, correct?"

"Yes," Sesshoumaru nodded as he warily eyed the crimson dragon. "But what does that have to do with-"

"Say hello to the Ragnork," Squall said as he gestured to the dragon. "It's an airship on loan from Esthar. You're to fly it there and fly it to the rendevous point in Esthar. Here's your orders." He tossed Sesshoumaru a folder and waited for him to catch it before dismissing them.

"Oh, and Sesshoumaru?"

"Yes Headmaster?" he said as he and Kagome turned to look at him.

"You and your team are to be ready at 1100 hours. Make sure your team is ready by then."

Sesshoumaru waited until he and Kagome were downstairs to begin reading the folder, then lowered it when Kagome tapped his shoulder. "What now?"

"Now you gather the others," Sesshoumaru told her. "Make sure they have at least eight days worth of clothes and are at the Garden gate in-" he glanced at his watch and shook his head. "Two hours. Good luck with Inuyasha on that by the way."

"Gee, thanks," Kagome grumbled as he walked away. "Man, why do I always get the hard stuff eh?"

VI

Sesshoumaru glanced at the radar screen attached to the right of his seat, assuring himself that nothing was approaching the massive airship before relaxing against the back of his chair and taking a sip of his tea.

The past four days replayed behind his closed lids like an old movie reel, starting with the 'tour' of the airship that Instructor Kinneas insisted on giving the squad. In all there were seven rooms and two hallways, one that connected the cargo bay (and the main entrance to the ship) to the hallway leading to the hanger and the hallway that held led to the passenger deck on the same level and the elevator platform leading to the bridge. There was one spare storage room attached to the hanger where most of the crates and boxes the headmaster insisted they bring on the mission were stored.

The crew themselves mostly stayed between the passenger deck and the air room in the very back of the ship, with Sesshoumaru on the bridge since he alone piloted the ship and knew the workings of the other four consoles stationed around him. His squadron was a surprisingly calm bunch, with he and Inuyasha managing to avoid conflict for the better part of the journey. Most of the violence was between Inuyasha and Shippou to his surprise, and those were due to a disrespectful word from Inuyasha to Kagome with the kitsune rushing to her defense.

'Not as if she needs defending,' Sesshoumaru smirked as he returned the styrofoam cup to the cupholder on his seat's right armrest. 'The woman can handle the hanyou quite nicely from what I've observed.' He also observed the protective way Shippou hovered over his human companion, his eyes narrowed and a deep growl resonating from his throat whenever Inuyasha so much as glanced in Kagome's direction. 'There is some hostility among the little group despite their friendship. It is a wonder they tolerate each other. It is my belief that they wouldn't if it weren't for-'

His ears twitched as a beeping began from the main navigators console behind him to his right side. Sesshoumaru immediately stood up and approached the station and the blinking green light in the middle of the screen. He quickly typed a command into the console and watched as another display appeared, this one giving him a world map of Spira with a flashing white light on the continent of Trabia over Trabia Garden and an estimated time of arrival.

"Thirty minutes?" He glanced at his watch and nodded. "The headmaster's report said that we wouldn't arrive until three. We are two hours early. Wonderful." He quickly cleared the screen, then set the auto-pilot on the pilot's console before stepping onto the elevator platform. He descended the elevator to the lower level, entered the passenger deck and frowned at the beginnings of a fight (once again) between Inuyasha and Shippou. 'This is the fourth one in two days. Surely they can do something else.'

"Fuck you Shippou!" Inuyasha spat as Kagome and the others tried to separate the two. "You can't tell me what to say!"

"I'm not telling you what to say Puppy!" Shippou shot back. His tail twitched around Kagome's waist angrily, the tip of the furry appendage in danger of being stepped on as Kagome pushed him back toward the door. "I'm just telling you that you can't say that kind of thing around a bunch of girls!"

"Why not?" Inuyasha demanded. "It's not like anyone gives a damn what Kikyou and I do! You might learn somethin-"

"Alright that's enough!" Kagome exploded suddenly. She waved her hand at Inuyasha, then at Shippou before stepping back from the both of them. They glanced at her in confusion as she motioned for Sango and Miroku to move away as well, then began to growl as they struggled to move against the Stop spell she placed on them. "Now I'm tired of this," she scolded the two with her index fingers wagging in their direction. "All you two have done is fight for this entire trip! Now I don't think it's a good idea for members of a team to fight like cats and dogs."

"But he is a dog Kagome," Shippou quipped smartly. "Or did you forge-" His eyes widened when she waved at him, the Silence spell activating instantly.

"Again, I'm tired of this," Kagome continued. "You two need to stop this **now**! I'm almost positive that if I'm tired of it, Sesshoumaru is too!"

"As a matter of fact," Sesshoumaru said as he walked into the room, a critical eye on Shippou and Inuyasha as he surveyed Kagome's magic works. "I am rather 'tired' of this. You two will not behave this way once we arrive, or you will remain in Petrification until we return to the Garden." He didn't wait for their acceptance before turning to Kagome and the others. "We will arrive at Trabia Garden in twenty-five minutes. I would suggest you follow me and to do that Higurashi-" he pointed to Shippou and Inuyasha, a near smirk touching his lips as they continued to struggle against their spells. "Those two are going to have to be mobile. I don't care if they can talk though. In fact, the inability might be useful."

Kagome and Sango quickly cast an Esuna spell on the two to nullify the spells and shot the both of them the evil eye before joining Miroku as he followed Sesshoumaru into the platform hallway. He walked through the door in front of the platform and walked down the catwalk stairs to the hanger below. He stopped in front of a set of chairs and two crates, one Kagome remembered being the large metal crate brought in from Dollet.

"In these crates are supplies that are supposed to help the mission," Sesshoumaru explained as he dripped green acid from his fingertips to the wooden crate's lid. The nails sealing it melted with a slight hiss, the fragrant smell of cucumber permeating the hanger before he shoved the top to the side and searched inside. He found mostly blankets and disposable plates and cups inside. He moved on to the next crate, deciding to burn a hole through the middle of the top to get to what was inside. To his surprise, he found nothing but cardboard boxes, each varying in size and bearing the name of someone in the group.

Kagome and Sango quickly began sorting through the piles of boxes and managed to come up with six piles with three boxes each. Sesshoumaru opened his first as the others looked on. He quickly ripped the tape from the smallest box and opened it, then groaned and pulled a thermal shirt from its confines. 'They're uniforms,' he realized as he opened the second and third boxes. "Almsay, Higurashi," he said before pointing toward the spare storage room behind him. "Take your things and change in there."

"But Captain," Miroku protested as Kagome and Sango picked up their boxes and began to walk toward the storage room. "Are you sure they shouldn't stay here? I mean, shouldn't we get used to looking at each ot-"

"**PERVERT!!!**" Sango and Kagome both hollered before smacking him senseless. They resumed they're trek out of the hanger, leaving Inuyasha and Shippou practically breathless from laughter as Miroku lay helpless on the cold steel floor. Sesshoumaru shook his head and sighed before turning his back on those remaining in the room and shedding his clothes. He shook out the thermal shirt and pants, grimacing slightly as the itchy material slipped over his skin. He dressed quickly, leaving the ski mask and boots for last as he tugged on the rest of the uniform.

Once he finished Sesshoumaru glanced at his reflection on a clear section of the wall and frowned again. The new uniform was like the standard ones, but was a virgin white instead of the black with blue and gold accents. The pants fit loosely around his legs and the jacket fell at his thigh just below his fingertips. The hood attached was lined along with the rest of the uniform. Sesshoumaru resisted the urge to fan himself as his body temperature rose, the insulating material already uncomfortable in his few seconds of wearing it. He quickly returned Shikyo to his side and tugged the snow white boots onto his feet before glancing at the others.

Inuyasha sat on a nearby crate, tugging desperately at his socks while Miroku and Shippou stood dressed and ready. Miroku fastened his rifle to his back with a shoulder harness, his ammunition packs already strapped to his right leg.

"Well Sesshoumaru-" Shippou began, then laughed when Inuyasha lost the battle with his socks and tumbled over the box to the floor on the other side. Miroku collapsed moments afterward, with nothing of Inuyasha but his feet showing to signal the hanyou's whereabouts.

"Well what Makayura?" Sesshoumaru demanded after Inuyasha sat up and wiped the dust from his uniform. "What were you about to say?"

"I was gonna say," Shippou gasped after another giggle escaped him. "Whether or not we're ready."

"No," Sesshoumaru shook his head. "Not until-"

"Woah," Miroku mumbled as he glanced a little behind Sesshoumaru. "Now that's what I call a uniform."

Sesshoumaru and the others turned toward whatever he was looking at and fell silent, Inuyasha's and Shippou's jaws coming unhinged as they stared. Sango grinned mischievously and shoved Kagome forward, ignoring Kagome's complaints to stop as they approached the other members of the squad.

Their attention wasn't on Sango, though it was rather odd that she would be dressed in the same style uniform as Miroku and the others, but on Kagome. The only similarities between her uniform and the others were the Balamb Garden insignia embroidered on the left shoulder and the fur lined hood. Instead of the two piece uniform the others were issued Kagome was wearing a lined catsuit, the one piece uniform flowing over generous curves in the same white as the others. Her gunblade's silver holster simmered from her waist as she stood there, the blush on her face having little to do with how hot she was.

Kagome and Sango already had their hair off their faces to compensate for the ski mask, with Kagome's in a low ponytail and Sango's in what looked to be a complicated braid consisting of at least seven strands. They stood by while they're male teammates finished getting ready. Shippou quickly shoved his eye length hair away from his face and Sango moved to help Miroku with his hair, leaving Kagome to watch as the inu brother's struggled with their abnormally long tresses.

'I'd better go help him,' Kagome thought to herself with an irritated sigh as she watched Inuyasha nearly shear his hair off with his claws in frustration. 'If I don't he'll-'

She stopped mid stride, her brush in her hand as Sango's words echoed in her mind. 'She's right,' Kagome said to herself with a small 'hmnh' of dissatisfaction. 'I'm so used to just helping him to where I guess I never bother to think about it. Nope,' she determined with a shake of her head. 'He'll just have to help himself this time.' She grabbed a chair and dragged it along behind her.

"It's about bloody time," Inuyasha growled when he saw her walking his way. "I'm gonna mess around and get a headache this w-Hey!" he called out when she walked past him, the chair she was dragging rolling along steadily. His shout caught the attention of everyone but Sesshoumaru, who was still busy with his own hair to bother looking toward the disturbance. "Just where are you going Kagome? You've got to help me out here."

"I think you can manage for once," Kagome replied. "You and I have been snowboarding enough for you to remember how to do it."

"But-But," he sputtered in protest before growling in defeat. He rolled his eyes and turned away from her, a frown marring his face as she rolled her chair behind Sesshoumaru and tapped his shoulder. He looked down at her, one hand still trapped within his mane and his eyes narrowed in annoyance.

"Let me," she said as she stepped into the chair's seat. She fought with the wheels for balance for a moment, then motioned for Sesshoumaru to face her. She was nearly as tall as he was for once, with her forehead coming up to his nose instead of the middle of his diaphragm like normal. She pulled a small pop-out brush from inside her uniform and began to gently brush his bangs away from his forehead. He lowered his head without complaint and closed his eyes, his mind drifting as her fingertips brushed against the crescent in the center of his forehead.

Kagome focused solely on her work, each silvery strand slipping through her attentive fingers. She barely noticed his ear twitch when her fingers brushed against it, but a faint smile did appear on her lips for a few moments before she asked him to turn around. When he did she brushed the strands into one smooth, silken road down his back to sweep against his calves. She quickly braided his hair and jumped from the chair to the floor, the slight jerk on his hair pulling Sesshoumaru from his sedated state.

He glanced over his shoulder at her while she finished, her head lowered and a black hair band firmly between her teeth. She wound it around the ends of the braid quickly, then released it and stepped back to observe her work. "Not bad," she finally said with a nod. "Not bad at all if I do say so myself."

Sesshoumaru reached for the bound strands and brought them to his face, his eyes critically surveying the perfect herringbone chain in his hands. "I find myself agreeing. Now why are you dressed that way and not like the rest of us?'

"Um, here," she said as she handed Sesshoumaru a slip of paper. "This might explain things."

Sesshoumaru jerked the paper from her hands, scanned over it, and quirked his brow in amusement. "It would seem they didn't have your size in the regular uniforms. Lucky you."

"Lucky us," he heard Miroku comment with a grin. Sango whopped him upside the head with a scowl and was about to reprimand him when an alarm began to sound throughout the ship. The squad glanced around quickly as the ships regular floodlights were overrun with flashing red. Kagome and the others turned to look at Sesshoumaru and frowned when they found him gone.

"He must have gone upstairs," Inuyasha determined with a scowl. "Stupid bastard. He could have told us. Come on Kag-" He reached for her but Shippou's tail quickly intercepted his attempt and pulled her to his side. He grasped Kagome's waist and made a leap toward the catwalk above as Inuyasha looked on, his tongue stuck out to tease the perpetually angry hanyou before focusing on the young woman clutching his side. Kagome's arms wound around his waist, Shippou's arm and his fuzzy tail tightly wrapped around her waist to hold her steady and keep her closer to him. He could barely feel her fingertips as they clutched the thick material of his uniform for balance. He mourned the loss of contact when they landed in front of the door to the elevator platform. Kagome released him quickly and sprinted toward the door. Shippou shook himself from his thoughts and followed her, the both of them managing to jump onto the platform with Sesshoumaru just as he activated the elevator.

They followed him onto the bridge to the pilot's chair , the both of them standing by as the elevator returned to the downstairs hallway and Sesshoumaru gracefully plopping into the chair and activating the pilot's console. "That is not good," they heard him mumble before vacating the seat for the one behind the navigation's console. Inuyasha, Sango and Miroku stepped onto the bridge and gave Kagome and Shippou a questioning look. They responded with a shrug and pointed to Sesshoumaru, who was furiously tapping on the radar console's keyboard.

"What's going on Sesshoumaru?" Shippou asked as the radar console's screen expanded. Sesshoumaru said nothing, but gestured toward the map that appeared onscreen. Shippou and the others leaned in for a closer look and stared at three unfamiliar lights. "What's that?"

"Those are three Galbadian carrier planes," Sesshoumaru answered before typing again. "And they're going to Trabia."

"Will they get there before us?" Miroku asked. Sesshoumaru shook his head and typed in another command as Kagome asked a question.

"Um, what's so bad about three carrier planes?" she wondered aloud. "All we'll have to do is shoot them down right?"

"Um, Kagome," Shippou began with a subtle pat on her shoulder. "You don't know a thing about airships do you?" He sighed when she shook her head. "Look, carrier planes are armored, damned near indestructible, and they have at least 15 fighter ships onboard."

"And those ships carry two pilots each," Sesshoumaru added as an afterthought. "Oh," Kagome muttered with a soft blush. "That explains that then."

"They are in our present flight path," Sesshoumaru informed them. "So landing near the Garden has become impossible, though we will arrive 45 minutes before they do. Now-" He vacated the radar console and sat down at navigation, a slight frown gracing his normally stoic features at having to move around so much before enlarging the world map screen. "To find another place to land...."

"Try here," Inuyasha said as he pointed toward a space east of Trabia Garden. Sesshoumaru quickly enlarged it and found himself staring at a picture of a frozen wasteland. "That's Bika Snowfield, and it'll be the quickest way to the Garden."

"Do you know how to work the navigation controls?" Sesshoumaru turned and asked him. Inuyasha faltered slightly, but nodded. "Yeah, so?"

"So plot a course," Sesshoumaru commanded before returning to the pilot's seat. "The rest of you should take a seat in the passenger's deck and prepare to land," he told them. He spared them one last glance before flipping off the auto-pilot and taking control of the ship. Kagome and the others shrugged and left the bridge, choosing to stay in the elevator hallway to check over their weapons.

They felt the ship's descent a few minutes later. The landing jarred them slightly, but they managed to come out of it unscathed. They walked out of the elevator hallway to the cargo bay with their ski masks already in place, the mouths and eyes of the black woven masks cut out so they could see and talk clearly. Miroku opened the cargo bay door once Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha entered the room and braced himself for the cold outside.

Inuyasha huddled deep within his uniform and flipped on his hood, his memories of the extreme cold in this part of the world causing him to shout to the others to do the same. Kagome quickly tied on her hood as the cargo door opened. The arctic-like wind rushed inside like a raging beast and mercilessly assaulted the SeeD members. Kagome shivered despite her warm attire and frowned before turning to look at Sesshoumaru.

His hood still sat on his back but his ski mask was over his face, the thick braid she worked on deep within the confines of his uniform. He walked past them and down the ramp to the tundra, his eyes just as cold as the weather as the others followed him.

"Shit," Inuyasha groaned miserably. He clapped his gloved hands together and danced a penguin's dance for warmth. Kagome snickered, her hand covering her mouth as Shippou's tail came to rest at her waist once again. It wound around her like an oddly affectionate furry snake. She smiled back at him gratefully, then glanced back at Sesshoumaru and watched as his tail disappeared.

'Wow,' she thought in amazement. 'That was kinda cool. I wonder why Shippou didn't do that.'

Sesshoumaru continued to scan the frozen land around him, his eyes finding nothing but snow. "Inuyasha," he said before turning toward his brother. He watched as Inuyasha continued to jump around before he pointed toward the west.

"That way," he growled and scowled at the puff of vapor that escaped his lips. "The Garden's that way, but it'd take us twenty minutes to get there if we wait on their slow human asses."

"Hey!" Sango shouted in outrage. "It's not _our_ fault that we're human! If we could run that fast then we would!"

"You just had to get her started didn't you?" Shippou mumbled as Sango continued to berate the hanyou. He shook his head as Sesshoumaru cleared his throat. "We are wasting time," Sesshoumaru informed them with another frown. His eyes narrowed slightly from behind the mask when he attempted to sniff the air. He finally resorted to making a small slit in the mask underneath his nose and caught not only the mixed aromas of those around him, but a blizzard that was swiftly coming toward them. "Inuyasha is right. You humans are slow. However..." He quieted as his mind began to whirl, his eyes still focused on the world in front of him as Kagome and Sango scowled at his back.

"It would not be slow if each of us were to carry one of you."

"Are you volunteering?" Inuyasha chuckled, then outright laughed when Sesshoumaru refused to answer. "No way in hell man!" he guffawed while the others looked on. "No way is the _Great Prince_ going to carry a human!"

"I will withstand it if it gets us to our destination," Sesshoumaru replied before turning to face the north. "Almasy, go with Makayura. Inuyasha, you get the pervert-"

Inuyasha and Miroku groaned miserably while Sango and Kagome snickered at their expense.

"Higurashi, come with me. Do be quick about it."

Kagome blinked in surprise, her laughter dying a quick death in her throat as she stared at him. "You must be joking," she replied. He looked over his shoulder and glared at her, his silence at her exclamation unnerving her. She walked toward him nervously, teal orbs focused on his every move as he bent his knees and waited. She glanced back at the others, who were watching her just as anxiously before grasping his shoulders. He grabbed her legs and stood up before she could protest. Sesshoumaru ignored her gasp of surprise as he situated her, insuring that her thighs were at his waist before sprinting toward the horizon.

Kagome held on to his shoulders for dear life, fear of him dropping her causing her knuckles to whiten underneath her snowy gloves. Sesshoumaru continued to run, either unaware of her discomfort or uncaring as she attempted to glance at their surroundings. She couldn't hear anything other than the sound of his boots as they crunched along the snow. She recalled the few times she rode on either Shippou's or Inuyasha's back and noticed the differences in the three youkai. Sesshoumaru's gait was smooth, where Inuyasha would practically jar her brain around her skull and Shippou would be much more cautious with his speed. With Sesshoumaru she felt as if she were flying, something that she had begged Shippou to do with her but he never agreed, saying that it was entirely too dangerous for her.

Kagome gasped again when Sesshoumaru jumped over a ravine in the middle of the field, her heart leaping to her throat as they sailed over the empty space to land on the other side. She barely heard the others land beside them before he took off again, this time at a pace faster than the last. Her fingers twitched at his shoulders, her intent to grasp the fabric there when his hands slid from her knees back to the middle of her thighs. Kagome glanced down at them and noticed their size for the first time. His thumb rested on the top of her thigh but the rest of his hand wrapped around the outside with the longest fingers nearly touching each other. She realized then that if he thought enough to secure his grip on her then he surely wasn't going to drop her, making her fears null and void. Kagome relaxed almost instantly, her hands sliding from his shoulders to fist the material covering his chest. Her head rested against his shoulder and she closed her eyes in complete trust.

Sesshoumaru stole a brief glance over his shoulder, his eyes not only searching the frozen plains for his brother and the kitsune, but also to ensure Kagome's health and to inquire about her strange behavior. He was surprised to find her so docile, her scent calm and compliant where a few moments ago it swirled with different emotions. The first was wariness, something he would have been daft to not connect with himself. He didn't mind it though since all of her race felt that uneasiness. Fear came when he began to run and that too he expected. It was when he jumped the ravine that he felt this sudden rush of excitement, her heart beating wildly against his back like a caged bird. He nearly faltered in his steps at this new emotion, but he continued without a visible flaw. She began to slip after that, and it was when he moved his hands that her scent changed again.

'I do not understand it,' he thought to himself as he ran along the mountain's skirt at Inuyasha's growl. 'Why would she react in such a way? She doesn't have a reason to trust me.' Sesshoumaru pushed his confusion aside as Trabia Garden appeared before him, deeply nestled on a clearing in the mountain's side. He stopped a few yards away from the Garden gate and waited for the others.

"Kagome?" he said as he slowly rotated the shoulder she rested on. One hand moved behind him to cover her mouth as she yawned. She looked up at him afterward, the green in her eyes nearly overrun by the deep sapphire blue that shone back at him.

"Yes Captain?"

"We are here." He looked away from her to the massive concrete walls of the Garden and back to her as she too stared ahead. "You may get down now."

"Huh?" she muttered sleepily, then blushed a deep crimson. "Oh, oh yeah. Sorry." She slid down his back to the ground slowly, his hands leaving her the moment her feet touched the snow. She turned around just as Shippou rounded the mountainside and missed the strange light that died in Sesshoumaru's eyes.

'I will not do this,' he growled at himself as she greeted her friends and assured herself of their well being. 'She is human and just like the rest of her kind. There is nothing special about her other than her stubbornness and lack of self preservation.' His eyes closed only briefly, but it was enough to conjure up the memory of her as she slid down his back, his fist unknowingly tightening as the pressure of her body sliding down his rippled along his back.

"Sesshoumaru?"

Sesshoumaru's eyes snapped open, the feral look that had briefly clouded them dissipating before Sango could notice. "What is it Almasy?" he growled testily. Sango gave him a curious glance before gesturing toward the Garden.

"What's next?"

"Yeah Fluffy," Inuyasha crowed from the back of the squad. "What the fuck do we do now? Are we gonna stand out here all day or what?"

"Crude Inuyasha," Sesshoumaru replied, the coldness and strength back in his voice. He walked away without another word, leaving Sango and Kagome to convey to the others his wish for them to follow. The gatekeeper opened the heavy stone doors upon sight of them and they walked down the paved driveway toward the Garden entrance.

They passed another gateway, this one a giant stone arch with Trabia Garden's insignia chiseled above them in the center of the arch. Another SeeD, this one dressed in a dark gray version of their uniforms, met them in the courtyard beyond.

"Which one of you is Captain Endo?" he asked then saluted Sesshoumaru when Kagome and Sango pointed in his direction. "Captain Endo sir!"

"And who are you?" Sesshoumaru demanded, disregarding the salute as the SeeD continued to stand at attention.

"I'm Private Shuyin sir!" he said before saluting again. Sesshoumaru resisted the urge to rub his forehead as a migraine began to form behind his eyes. "And I've been assigned to be your assistant during this evacuation."

"Wondrous," Sesshoumaru muttered before allowing Shuyin to lead them further into the Garden. "Then I need information. How many are still here?"

"Um..." Shuyin stopped to think, his dark eyes narrowing slightly before he answered. "Currently 12 staff members, 15 SeeD and 20 students sir."

"I see..." Sesshoumaru turned away from him and toward Kagome and the others. Kagome and Sango recognized the look on his face and quickly fell into attention. Shippou and Miroku followed quickly, with Inuyasha the last and the most reluctant to Sesshoumaru's silent request.

"Inuyasha and Makayura, you two are to stand at the gate and be wary of the ships we observed from the ship."

"Yes sir!" the two saluted and ran off once he dismissed them.

"Higurashi and Almas-"

"Oh CRAP!" Kagome exclaimed suddenly, startling everyone in the courtyard with the outburst. She valiantly fought back her embarrassment as Sesshoumaru loosed an uncharacteristic sigh. "What is it Higurashi?"

"Um...I forgot something sir," she responded sheepishly. Sesshoumaru sighed again, his long fingers finally coming up to massage the bridge of his nose.

"Then go and retrieve it. Take Inuyasha or Makayura with you."

"Ok then," she said, then saluted and ran toward the Garden gates. He shook his head and glanced at Sango and Miroku. "I suppose that leaves you two to gather up the students and faculty. Bring them to the courtyard so we can begin the evacuation."

VII

'Twenty minutes...'

He began to pace, his hands held carefully behind his back to avoid ripping his uniform on his claws.

'Twenty minutes and she's still not back yet. Where is she?'

"Shippou!"

Shippou looked up as Sango ran toward him, her comphone in her right hand. "Yeah?"

"Have you seen Sesshoumaru?"

"That way," he said and pointed toward the basketball court to the left of the courtyard. She thanked him and ran off, the urgency in her aura enough to make him follow her. Sesshoumaru stood in the center of the yard with Private Shuyin, the younger human chirping along happily about something or another while Sesshoumaru stared into the distance.

"Sesshoumaru!" Sango huffed as she stopped at his side. "Sess-(huff)-holy crap dude," she wheezed before sitting down with a plop. "Man, this Garden is huge."

"What is it Almasy?" he inquired with a slight edge to his voice. She flinched slightly, but held up her comphone. "It's for you."

He grabbed the metallic phone decorated with pretty technicolor flower stickers with a mental grimace and flipped it open. The screen remained blank for a few moments, the screen flashing a bright white with a little neko youkai in the middle before a pink arrow flew onto the screen. He quickly clicked on it and came face to face with Kagome, who looked to be preoccupied with something. "Higurashi-"

"Sango, have you found him?" she interrupted, then glanced at the screen. "Oh, there you are Captain! Um..."

"Speak up Higurashi," he demanded. "I don't have all day."

"Alright," Kagome drawled. "But I think I can show you better than I can tell you."

Sesshoumaru frowned, intending on asking her what she meant when she disappeared from the comphone's camera. The background blurred for a few seconds then settled again, this time pointing toward the sky. "Do you see that?" Kagome asked from somewhere off screen. He remained confused until the camera focused on something in the sky, what looked to be a black dot. The black dot became three, then nine and fifteen before it ceased multiplying.

"Do you see it Captain?" she asked again. "I know the picture's screwy, but I can hear the sound of engines. What does that mean?" Kagome's face reappeared in the screen, but this time it was Sango who waited on the other side. "Hey, where'd he go?"

"He said to wait," Shippou told her as he glanced at the spot Sesshoumaru just vacated. "He's on his way."

)-(

Kagome waited in the center of the field, her hood off and her mask rolled up to reveal her mouth as she waited. She welcomed the cold air as it brushed against her exposed skin. She returned it to it's proper place when a brilliant golden light shone from the opposite end of the tundra. She stepped back when it zipped toward her, her eyes curious as it hovered over her before it settled at her side and took the form of a man.

She sighed in relief when Sesshoumaru stepped out of the light, his eyes piercing from behind the mask as he waited for her to explain. "Sorry Captain, but I just saw it. I don't know what it i-"

"It's planes," he interrupted with a frown. "Fifteen fighter planes to be exact. If they're coming this way, then they're expecting to find the Garden defenseless, or that it's defenses are centered only on the gated entranceway."

"But isn't that where you stationed Inuyasha and Shippou?" she inquired. Sesshoumaru motioned for her comphone and pressed what he knew to be Sango's connection. Sango's face appeared seconds later. "Yeah Kagome-Oh, hey Sesshoumaru," she greeted. "Where's Kagome?"

"That's not important," he informed her. "Tell Inuyasha and the others to gather any that can fight and position them in the courtyard in front of the basketball court. You and Saikai put everyone else on the court and shoot anyone that walks through that you don't know. Tell Inuyasha and the others to barricade the courtyard."

"Alright, but what about you and K-" Sesshoumaru shut the little phone and returned it to Kagome, who quickly put it back inside her uniform.

"What about us?" she asked as an interesting scent wafted by them. "What are we going to do?"

Kagome frowned when he continued to ignore her and readied herself to tell him off when a growl rippled through the air. "What was that?" She looked to Sesshoumaru for an answer, but found him on his guard, his gunblade already in his hands. "Hey-"

"You're to stay there," he told her, his gaze directed toward the far east toward the ocean. "You're not to draw your weapon unless it's absolutely necessary. Understood?"

"How am I supposed to defend myself then?" Kagome shot back.

"Your magic Higurashi," Sesshoumaru reminded her, his eyes narrowed slightly in annoyance. "Or have you forgotten?"

"Oh yeah," Kagome muttered sheepishly. "I forgot all about that. But why?"

"Because there are thirty humans coming toward you from the south."

"Oh, um Cap-" She jumped when something snapped behind her, then turned around and came face to face with a giant wall of ice. "Hey!" she shouted as she banged on the frozen wall. "Wait a sec! Aren't you going to help me?"

"I am helping," he said from the other side of the wall. "Unless you would like the mass of crazed youkai and monsters that are coming our way."

"Um....no thanks," Kagome replied before turning around. She met her second surprise of the day in the form of a soldier clad in blue. He leered at her from underneath his helmet, the reaction reflecting from one soldier to another as they came to a stop before her.

"Well hey there cutie," one said with a wicked grin. "What's a girl like you with a rack like that doin in a place like this?"

"I don't think that's your business," Kagome replied cooly. "But I can make it yours if you keep going toward Trabia Garden."

"Oh, so you're a SeeD," another soldier, this one dressed in red instead of blue, chuckled. "Well boys, I say we have some fun, don't you?"

Loud whoops and cries were his answer before his brown eyes locked with hers. "See, my men like the idea," he told her. "How about we get started?"

"If you insist," Kagome said as a slow grin spread on her lips. She raised her hand between herself and the men and swept it forward, a powerful Fira spell activating in her arm's wake. The resulting fire spread from her fingertips to the ground, the snow melting under the fierce heat to spark at her feet. The wall of fire burned brightly, it's flames reaching higher than her head.

The soldiers jerked back in fright, then gave a loud yell at her sly grin. "Oh come on now boys," she called as she dodged their blows. "Now you're just being slow. I thought you wanted to have fun."

"Get her!"

"Don't let that bitch escape!"

"How dare she, the little sorceress!"

Kagome smiled and dodged the fist of one of the soldiers with barely a flinch. She waved her hand forward again, this time casting a quick Protect spell on herself before casting a Stop on the nearest group of soldiers.

"Let that teach you a lesson," she quipped darkly. "Now who's next?"

)-(

Sesshoumaru snarled viciously, his claws flexed and extended as he ripped through the visage of a low level bull youkai. The youkai howled in agony, the poison from Sesshoumaru's claws running a straight course through his bloodstream to his heart. Sesshoumaru moved on then, his massive paws thundering along the blood speckled snow as he ran from one youkai to another.

'This is becoming mundane,' he thought as his teeth sank deep within a tiger youkai with purple and white fur. 'It is almost like a diversion.' He reached through his psychic abilities and touched Inuyasha's mind, not surprised to find his kid brother deep within the throws of battle. 'Inuyasha-'

'What is it you stuffy bastard?' the hanyou huffed irritably. 'Can't you see I'm busy?'

'So the Garden is under attack.'

'No shit Sherlock,' Inuyasha grumbled. 'What was your first clue? Oh, and where the fuck's Kagome?'

'She is...' His ear swivelled toward the glacial wall, a dog's version of a smirk appearing on his face at the shouts from the soldiers.

'Preoccupied at the moment.'

'Yeah well, what the fuck ever man,' Inuyasha grunted sourly. 'Just be sure to keep an eye on her. Shippou's ridin' my ass about her right now and I'm trying to concentrate.' He paused, no doubt to deal a blow before growling. 'Now could you get the fuck on please? I'm kinda doin somethin over here.'

Sesshoumaru left him with a shake of his head, his fangs bared and a vicious snarl escaping his lips as a monster attempted to strike him in the side. 'You will regret that,' he promised as the creature flew overhead. His claws made short work of the monster's stomach and it fell with a thud, it's black and white striped leather wings shuddering under it's last breaths before Sesshoumaru stomped on it's windpipe. He glared at the other monsters surrounding him, the youkai among them long gone.

He growled at them all, his front right paw digging at the earth like a 9 story bull. His eyes glowered with promise, the jade green orbs focused and intent as they stunned the nearest monster in place. One quick slash of his claws and the monster was eliminated, leaving room for the next to meet it's end.

)-(

"Ha-ha," Kagome mocked as another solder attempted to grab her. She had long since lost the ski mask, it lying only God knows where while the battle raged on without it. "You missed dude. Do try again."

She cast a Bio spell at him, grimacing as the giant ball of toxic sludge surrounded his head before bursting to fall onto the soldiers around him. Every soldier it touched screamed on impact. Their throats slowly began to shut down with one third of the normal air passing down the swollen tissue.

She faltered, feeling a tad bit of remorse for them before continuing on. She tossed a bag in their direction, knowing that whoever picked up the wounded would find it and use what was in it to help them. She jumped back as another soldier once again tried to get their hands on her, then Blinded him before punching him square in the jaw. She regretted it when a soldier behind her gave her hair a vicious yank. She tossed a Fire spell in his face and jerked free, only to wince as another soldier backhanded her. She fell to the snow like a brick, her world spinning around her as they stood over her and grinned.

"Well, looks like this kitten's all out of fire boys," the soldier in red said as he pushed his way toward the front of the circle. "Good going men!"

She winced as they cheered, her head now hurting instead of spinning while they shouted their victory across the clearing. Kagome quickly overcame the pain and kicked the nearest soldier in the groin, grinning slightly when he dropped in much of the same way she did. The commotion caught the attention of the other soldiers and they roared in outrage as she cast a Flare spell Shippou gave her. The clearing lit up in blinding light and she shielded her eyes, unaware of the soldier sneaking up behind her until it was too late.

The blow to her lower back was agonizing, excruciating, and Kagome gasped, unable to concentrate as she fell to her knees. She cried out when he kicked her again, this time in the stomach. She crumpled like a rag doll, the laughter of the soldiers muted by the intense pain flowing over her. She struggled for breathe and found enough of it to scream when the soldier in red backhanded her again. He grabbed her hair before she could fall and jerked her to her feet. He licked his lips as he stared at her, his eyes drinking her in greedily as she struggled to get away.

"You had such power before," he taunted before hitting her again, this time punching her right above her left kidney. "Now look at you. You're weak and helpless. That's just the way we like em ay boys!"

Kagome began to panic when they cheered again, the sound much different than the one from earlier. This one sounded excited, devious and lewd. She shrieked when the red-clad soldier touched her, his free hand roughly grasping her hip before searching her uniform for it's zipper. "My men are going to have a little fun with you," he whispered in her ear, ignoring her grimace when he licked the shell. "I think that's the least you can do for all the trouble you've caused."

Her panic set full on when he jerked at her collar, the zipper at her throat tearing open slightly from the force. He stared deep into her eyes and grinned, unaware until it's final hour of the green glow that engulfed them. Kagome shuddered once, his grip on her loosening as an enormous black dragon shot from a black oily mass behind her. The dragon jerked the girl from his hands without a word and took to the air, the soldiers below clueless to their fate before it all went to hell.

)-(

"Mr. President sir!" Wedge exclaimed as the radar screen in front of him flashed an angry red. "I think we might have trouble."

"What kind of trouble?" Juromaru demanded as he stood and walked toward the front of the airship. Wedge shivered as he neared, unconsciously able to sense the dark aura that swirled around him as he approached and leaned over the pilot's seat. He gulped audibly and turned back to the console and the flood of reports that were coming in.

"Sir, it seems that the Garden's forces are pushing ours back-"

"I expected as much," Juromaru replied offhandedly. "I knew Leonheart wouldn't hesitate to dispatch his precious SeeD to this place. What else is there?'

"Well, there seems to be this battle between youkai and monsters in the north eastern part of Bika Snowfield," Wedge said and again Juromaru was unimpressed.

"Don't mind those," Juromaru said with a wicked smile. "They are...allies, of a sort."

"Oh, um, ok then," Wedge stuttered. "Um, there's this too sir." He flipped a switch and leaned back, his brow deeply furrowed as the panicked voices of a squadron of soldiers filtered over the intercom.

"SOS, SOS, this is a mayday," a soldier practically screamed into the radio. "To whoever's listening, this is Commander Dojo of the eastern squadron. We're being...attacked by _something_! We need-ah! No! Get away from me! No! Don't! **_AHHHHHHHHHHHH-_**"

Wedge shivered as the line fell silent. "Um...what to do now sir?" he stammered. Juromaru's face turned thoughtful, his claw lightly scratching his chin before glancing down at Wedge. "Find them."

"Are we going to help them sir?" Wedge asked. He wasn't surprised when he didn't receive an answer. He flew the ship toward the snowfield and the squadron in question. The field beyond the glacial wall was nothing but blackened earth, the snow and new grass beneath it nothing but a memory. A few soldiers were still running, but most of the squad lay in blackened ruin, the charred bodies of those unlucky enough to be caught by whatever destroyed them littered the field below. Juromaru's eyes widened as he looked further into the field, his gaze stopping at a lone figure floating inside a black clouded ball.

"What is that?" he whispered in awe, his hand braced against the armrest of Wedge's chair as he leaned closer to the window. The figure in the ball turned as it cleared, revealing a young woman dressed in white. Her eyes focused on the airship, the cold indifference swimming in her glowing eyes enough to make Wedges hair stand on end. Juromaru stood awestruck, his eyes moving over her every curve as the youkai trapped inside him watched her power.

'_We know this creature, but who is she...what is she_? _We must have her_,' a voice in the back of his mind demanded. Juromaru ignored it, favoring instead the look on the creature's face as she began to speak.

"_Worthless," _Juromaru read her lips. "_Not even worth my time..._" The ship began to rock seconds later, throwing Juromaru from the front of the ship to the wall in the back as Wedge struggled to regain control.

"What is happening?!" Juromaru demanded, the blue in his eyes quickly darkening to a bright red. "What's going on? Is it turbulence?"

"No sir!" Wedge shouted as alarms began to sound all over the ship. "It's something inside the ship itself! This is crazy! It's like tiny bombs are exploding all over the hull and inside the engine room! We're not going to be able to withstand this for long!"

'_It's the girl,_' the voice determined as Juromaru regained his footing and returned to Wedge. _'She'll kill us both if you don't do something!'_

"Shoot her down!" Juromaru ordered.

"B-but sir!" Wedge stuttered. "I can't! She's human and-"

"And I don't care!" He jerked Wedge from his seat by the front of his uniform and brought his face up to his. "Shoot. Her. Down."

"A-alright sir," Wedge stuttered and cried out when Juromaru dropped him back in his seat. He said a quick prayer of forgiveness and fired. The missiles shot toward the dark ball, their rockets trailing smoke behind them before crashing into the dark ball and the creature inside. The missiles detonated upon impact and the ball shattered. The young woman fell to the ground with an earth shaking thud, a great cloud of smoke rising from the point of impact as the last of the black ball disappeared.

"Wait," Juromaru commanded when Wedge moved to fly away. "I want to see what's beyond that dustcloud." They sat by while it dissipated, both their mouths dropping open when they found the girl whole but unconscious. "Fire again."

"But sir she-"

"FIRE AGAIN!!!"

The missiles fired once again, but this time a GF stood in the way of the intended path. The black dragon screeched in agony before disappearing, returning to the earth it emerged from minutes earlier. Juromaru opened his mouth to fire again when another GF appeared, this one in the shape of a massive four-legged machine. Panels opened in the front of the right and left legs and Wedge cried out as missiles shot from the insides and careened toward them.

"Get us out of here!" he shouted seconds before the first missile buried itself into the hull. Wedge's brain jump started just as the missile exploded. He quickly maneuvered around the rest of the missiles and headed back to Galbadia while Juromaru gave the order for retreat over the airway.

The GF watched them leave and shook itself before gazing down at the girl lying at it's fee. It reached down and gently nudged her with it's metal paw. She groaned but remained motionless, her eyes closed and her limbs akimbo on the ruined earth. The GF shook itself again before disappearing into a bright white ball. The little ball settled over her forehead and made one last circle before burying itself inside her.

Kagome jolted awake, unaware of ever falling asleep as she jerked to a sitting position. "Wh-where am I?" she wondered out loud as she stood up and brushed herself off. Details of her mission came back to her, but for the live of her she couldn't remember how she ended up on the ground. 'Maybe they knocked me out and left me here,' she thought, then shook her head. 'No, that doesn't sound right. They would have took me with them for one, plus I'd be sore. I don't feel any dif...fer..e...Oh my God," she breathed when she turned to gaze at the field behind her.

Burned bodies were scattered everywhere, some only slightly red while others were nothing but cinders on the tainted ground. She quickly searched the area for the cause, her eyes wide and frightened before looking down at her hands. The once white gloves were coated in black soot and grime. She glanced again to the field, her eyes roving over each and every body as the taste of bile bit at the back of her tongue.

"Oh God, please don't-" she gasped as she fell to her hands and knees. Tears flowed freely down her cheeks, creating clean lines in the soot that was unknowingly caked on her face.

)-(

Sesshoumaru changed from his youkai form quickly, his hair once again free and the ski mask lost to the sands of time as he glanced at the blood soaked snow surrounding him with a smirk. He paused at what sounded like a sob, his nose too deeply embedded in the blood of his enemies to tell who made the sound. He leaped over the ice wall easily but the sight to greet him left even him breathless.

The carnage was amazing, the void of life almost staggering as he levitated to the burned earth. Something in him tightened uncomfortably as he sniffed the air for Kagome's scent. He found it a little away from him to his left. The scent was pure except for the ones lingering to her clothing. She sat there motionless, her hands and knees pressed to the ground and her face hidden between her arms.

"Higurashi, what has happened?" Sesshoumaru inquired as the tightness unwound and he could breathe easier. He frowned when she remained unresponsive and called her name again before lifting her to her feet. He brought her face to his and fought the urge to gasp, golden eyes wide with shock as blank teal eyes stared back at him. Sesshoumaru attempted to use her tears to clear her face, the only thing his attentive fingers could uncover was a welt on her right cheek before she began to whisper.

"Higurashi, what happened?" he asked again, the tightening from earlier returning full force when she still refused to answer. Sesshoumaru shook her lightly but stopped when she began to sob. "Kagome answer me!" he demanded angrily, not liking her strange behavior and the unknown feelings it caused to stir within him. She screamed instead, the sound sharp and piercing in both decimal and intensity as her grief and inner suffering escaped to the sky above. Sesshoumaru winced but refused to release her, deciding instead to return them to the Garden so one of the medics could look her over.

He picked her up effortlessly and cradled her in his arms with her head resting against his chest. Kagome stopped screaming and the tears continued to flow, but with it came three whispered words that, to Sesshoumaru, were louder than any scream.

_It was me....It was me...It was me_...

(End Chapter)

SF: That's it. Man, that kinda hurt. Anyway, that's this chapter.

Inu-chan: What's wrong with Kagome?

SF: Now you know I can't tell that. I've got lots of things up my sleeve and you can't find out just yet. You be patient Inu-chan.

Sango: Anyway, the next chapter is a dozy compared to this one. All of those that have wanted fluff in the chapters are going to get their wish, starting with this one. Oh, the summary for the next chapter is below.

Miroku: The two GFs in the story are Diablos and Alexander. I wonder how a dark GF and a holy GF are going to get along with one summoner?

Sango: (whops Miroku upside the head) It's not summoner dummy. Wrong game.

Summary-

Kagome: I feel so guilty. Those men, what happened to them? How did I managed to do what I did to them...and why don't I remember? What's wrong with me? And why is Sesshoumaru being so...well, _nice_ to me? It's almost unnerving, but sweet in an odd sort of way. He told me he fixed things and I believe him, though how he thought to fix a field full of dead people I'll never know. But no matter how nice he is to me, he's still Captain, and will stay that way for as long as I'm concerned. I've learned an important lesson, one that just keeps repeating itself with my parents, my brother and now my friends.

Love hurts...

And I'm allergic to the pain.

Chapter Nine: Saying Goodbye to the Ragnork

(Reviews)

Konton, Taiyoukai Kagome, kitt90, Tokia, Apri-Chan, Just Call Me Blue, the hitokiri battousai himura, Baka-Onna 2003, Thesta, Dragon Rae, Aznchiki, Larka the White Wolf, Strawberrylover, Minchi, Taiyoukai-chan, Skitzoflame, & Wake-Robin: Thanks for the reviews you guys! Another chapter's on the way!

beautifulsilentdeath: (blush) I'm glad I can be of some help. I agree with you, life would be boring without the stress of everyday living. My mom is just starting to get her gray hair, and she's...well, she'd hurt me if I told anyone but I can tell you that she's older than 35. She wants to go completely gray, but she wants it to be a pretty silver color. She's weird. Anyway, thanks for the review and I'm glad you're enjoying the story!

Ruby27: You're question is what helped this chapter to form into what it is. You're right, there really isn't a whole lot of Sess/Kag fluff in this. There's a lot of Kag/Shippo fluff though. No worries. I'm not making this a Shipp/Kag fic. From here on there's going to be small injections of fluff between our favorite pair.

anime wolf: Nope, I'm not. lol But my beta was in the Army and my brother was in the JROTC. My beta keeps the terms from looking like dung.

Row: Well there you are, the contents of the crate. Not very special huh? I know it but hey, the rest of the chapter moved the story along. That's what we wanted right? No? Oh, well then. Oh well. Thanks for the review!

Ashika: I've only played 8, 9, 10, and 10-2. Never even got to touch the first ones. I liked drawing better than that Triple Triad. Missed a lot of good items because I wouldn't play it. But you're right, the random rule will screw you, that and sudden death. Dude, that will piss you off like nothing else. You guys haven't finished it? I'm close. I'm on the fifth chapter. From what I understand, you can't get 100 until you go through New Game. That's what irked me. I got past the camera thingies though. Oh, you guys have a guide. Man, that sucks for you then. Seriously, I was going to buy one but read the four reviews that said it sucked. There is a guide online that I use though. If you're interested in the link let me know and I'll email it to you. I haven't read any of the authors (I think they're authors) you mentioned. Are they any good? Oooohhh, I knew I forgot something. Um...I think (because my beta gave me the names of the gunblades) that Sesshoumaru's means death and Inuyasha's means cutting knife. I think that's what they mean anyway. I'll have to ask her. I take it as a compliment. Another converted to our side! Muhahahahahaha!

Yume no Zencho: I don't think you'll have long to wait. The fluff began in this chapter and it's going to stick around for a while. To be honest, my fave lead is Yuna from FFX-2. She's a lot less of a pushover than in FFX, but she's still true to the original character. The worst one was Princess Garnet from FF9. I wanted to shoot her whiny ass. So now you know who Juromaru is huh? Cool. Isn't he cute in a creepy sort of way? I figured that anyone who could defy Naraku like that certainly deserved the spotlight for once.

Dark Neko-chan: Really? (glomp) What would I do without you? How would anyone see what goes on inside my fragile mind? lol. Seriously though, of course Sesshou's cute. Why else would he have such a faithful following of crazed fangirls?

KyouFan17: Thanks so much! Um...I thought about it but I'm not sure. I will have a few characters that everyone will believe they're dead.

Puppet Mon: I actually sat down and counted the chapters that are in my plan and I came to twenty-three. That's what I'm going with.

DarkAngelB: What story are you talking about? Is it the UA series? If so, then you're in luck because I've already finished it! It comes in three parts. There's UA I: How to Train a Taiyoukai (or a piece of the title anyway), Part II: Chosen, The Tosusaiga's True Master and Part III, Trial of the Century. I hope that was some help. I'll get around to putting that on the end of the last chapters in a few days. Hope your friend's alright. Men are so insane. Thanks for the review and the support. It goes in the inspiration jar!

LtSonya: (blush) It's almost embarrasing the amount of time I've wasted trying to beat that game. (groans) I don't even remember my last year of high school because of it and the birth of my sister. Kagome's character in this story is a little harder to write than in the others because of that oddness. It would be so easy to just let her grow into this strange girl and leave it at that, but I can't. It wouldn't make a good story. Kagome's favorite place in all of Spira is Winhill because of how peaceful it is. If there's anything she can do to help them maintain that peace she'll willingly do it, even if it's to herd a bunch of cows. Unfortunately, there aren't any cows in Esthar. Remember in chapter one when she first arrived in Balamb? That was her first time seeing a tree, so imagine what she did when she saw that cow! lol. Oh, but that helping people thing is important to the story too, even though it's so subtle as to be missed. Yup, Sesshou's back and he and Kagome are going to be in every chapter but one from now on. The story's moving along really, really quick from here so be prepared.

black tigeress: So it's fixed now? Great! I was worried about that. Yeah, he may have been OCC, but that's to help the fluff along. This chapter has more of the inu gang too. Oh, and there's that thing with Juromaru. Dude, everyone's here! Man, no wonder this chapter took so long to write.

Sesshomaru's slave: Shooo, you're doing better than I am. I think the highest I've ever beat either game (that's 8-10:2) is level 45, and I haven't even beaten 10-2 yet. My first video game was Super Mario Brothers. Dude, that just proves how old I am. (slaps forehead) I don't think I want to think about it. So you like Sesshou's personality huh? I'll admit, he is a little OCC in this, but that's to add to the story. Oh yeah, that. Heh. I forgot about that. Um...see, if I told you, it wouldn't be one of the many secrets of the story. I will give you a clue though: Our favorite specialist had something to do with it.

crest fallen212: Lol. I'm getting to that. I'm working on that as we speak. I've got a great place for them to be alone to get to know each other in just the next chapter.

Filit tel' Yoru: You know what? That is right. He does normally notice stuff like that. However, it is possible to miss those kinds of details when you're so used to what's going on around you. That's what's up with Sesshou. He's so used to fighting that he doesn't notice the little things like that. And that, my dear, is what our dear Kagome is for. lol.

wackoramaco87: There's a special reason for them sending her away, but I can sum it up to wanting her to be able to take care of herself. No prob about the question. I just love questions.

Lady Banshee 999: MM is back, thank goodness. I'm happy about that thing. I'm thinking about ordering something from there for my birthday, but I'm not sure what. Yeah, Shippou's so cute like that. It's so fun to write him as fifteen instead of seven like normal. Yeah, Diablos is a real trip. While you're at it, you may as well see the other GFs too. She's got two now. My holiday was pretty sweet. My baby sister racked up on the gifts. I'm still getting run over with her damned car. Sucks to death, I swear. Your husband stole your plushie? That's so wrong. Shame on him...well, I guess Sesshou has to ride too. lol.

inudemoness247: The thing on her hand? What thing on her hand? Don't you mean the necklace around her neck? No? Oh. Well then. (grins) Maybe you should...Muhahahahahahahaha!

Hyo-Neko: Dang it. I'm so very bad with names. Yeah, Bill's great! Larry though reminds me of my brother. That ought to tell you about my homelife. I'm using FFVIII and FFX-2. I'm going to snatch little parts from each one and paste them to the fic. Oh, and nope. Kagome's GF is Diablos, but she just aquired a new one.

azn-modern-miko: No, not exactly. She likes him as a fellow living creature. You're wondering about the comment right? Well, wouldn't you think the same thing if you saw him, wheter you liked him or not?

C.M.S-12: lol. Yeah, don't worry about it. I totally understand. You're an action person like me. Well, from now on it's going to be a lot of action, especially between Kagome and our favorite taiyoukai.

ice-apparition16: You know, there is a chance that I will update that one. I'm sure Belle will be most pleased if I do. I should get to work on it then.

Mistress Fluffy: Alright then! Um...I'd hate to tell you this (you and another girl if I remember right) but I read at least three reviews on that called that guide a bunch of crap. That's why I didn't buy it. Oh well. Anyway, is your email address the same? I hope so cause I sent the link a while ago. Let me know what you think. Yeah, I saw the concert. I'm in the Den of Woe, getting my ass handed to me by Nooj. Gah, I just want to kick him!. Oh, but that's just me. Yup, the romance is coming very, very soon! Like, in at least three chapters soon! I can't wait too. So see? Sometimes you don't have to wait for the good things! Happy New Year to you too!

Wake-Robin 2004-12-31 7 Signed Wonderful chapter as usual. Love the humor in the beginning. Update soon!


	9. Saying Goodbye to the Ragnarok

Disclaimer: No, I don't own it. I wish I did though. Then again, the fame might go to my head. We don't want that now do we? Oh, and in this chapter there's a flag for all the die-hard FF fans. Something about this chapter is off, but I can't tell you what. Don't worry about it if you don't notice. Just thought I'd let you guys know.

Chapter Nine: Saying Goodbye to the Ragnarok

I

_He just couldn't understand it..._

_What was it about her silence and her lack of response so...disheartening..._

_Surely he didn't care about the little human woman._

He shook his head at the thought, loose silver hair fluttering about him as he continued to blankly stare at the navigation's screen.

_But what was it about her sorrow, that deeply ingrained shame that made him return to the field where he first found her? _

He remembered glancing coldly at the charred, scarred and smoking remains of the field and those that had perished in it. His nose barely wrinkled at the scent of burned flesh as it remained clung to the earth, something that he imagined would scar the planet itself for eons to come. This type of carnage he was jaded against but he did wonder what spell she used to completely obliterate her opponents so efficiently.

_Such a spell promised to be useful in the future..._

He chuckled at this, the minor bleep of an aircraft passing over them catching his eye only momentarily before returning to his previous thoughts.

He glanced down at the unlucky remains of her foes, some deeper, primitive part of himself briefly shuddering at the display of both power and lost of control. Whatever it was must have either frightened her or pissed her off but either way he preferred to remain wary of her temper from then on.

_Was that his reason....a slight...**respect**....for the human woman...._

Whatever his reason he no longer could tell but as he turned to leave them behind he caught sight of her blank, tearstained face in his mind's eye. He flinched unknowingly and turned back, his voice of reason already screeching it's disapproval in his ear like a tempestuous mother hen as he unsheathed Shikyo. He held the dark gunblade in front of him, his eyes following the thin trail of gold before closing them when he began to concentrate. He truly, _truly_ hated Junctioning magic but it was sometimes useful, as it would be today.

He removed the Thundaga spell from the blade, the onyx steel shimmering in his mind's eye only briefly before returning to it's normal brilliance. He quicky equipped the next spell and, after insuring that the spell had enough power to do a relative amount of good, he opened his eyes and drove the blade over the landscape with one clean sweep. The effect on the land was instantaneous, with the tender blades of grass that were ruthlessly destroyed pushing themselves free of death and standing upright. He waited and watched expectantly as the corpses around him soon followed suit. They viciously shook the soot, ash, charred flesh and burned clothing from their bodies, their bedazzlement reflecting in their eyes as thirty naked men glanced up to the sun above them and shielded their eyes. They soon turned to him, their eyes grateful and expectant as the nearest one bowed to him in reverence. "Are you God?" the man asked, his confusion as obvious as the others while they waited for his answer.

He left the men without a second thought.

He returned to the Garden and the infirmary to inform the others of what he'd done only to walk in on Sango as she looked over Kagome's various wounds. She straddled a chair backward with the upper part of her uniform crumpled around her waist. Her head rested against the solid wooded back of the chair and her eyes closed. Her back bore one bruise, a nasty purple discoloration that had overthrown the pure creamy skin on the left side of her lower back. He mentally flinched again, the foreign feeling of guilt suddenly washing over him. He turned his head when Sango finally glared up at him, only leaving them with the news that he had....taken care of the situation.

_But why...._

_Why had he cared...._

'And why did her tears affect this Sesshoumaru so...' Sesshoumaru pondered for the umpteenth time in two days. He focused on the nagivation's screen, the tiny bleeping dots and lines his only companion. The evacuation of Trabia Garden was event-less with all of the staff, SeeDs and students safely onboard the airship in a matter of hours. The passengers fit rather snugly inside the Passenger Deck but fit none the less. The cut on her face and the bruises littering on Kagome's skin were healing rather quickly for a human. Sesshoumaru guessed it to be Sango's doing, knowing that she used many Cure spells and potions when her friend wasn't paying attention.

"I just don't understand," he whispered to himself as he stood from the navigation console and returned to the pilot's chair. "How did she do it? What human is that powerful? Yes, she has holy blood but I..." He shook his head and frowned.

"I feel as if I'm missing something..."

The whirling of gears attracted his attention, and Sesshoumaru swivelled his seat around as the elevator platform descended to the lower hallway. He didn't have to wait long for his unexpected visitor as Kagome's scent permeated the early morning air.

Sesshoumaru briefly glanced at the windshield, not surprised to find it still dark outside as the elevator finally stopped. She stood there in her pyjamas, a black tanktop and pants with Balamb Garden's insignia across her breast and bare-footed. Her hair was up in it's usual ponytail and the thin cut below her right eye was nearly healed.

"Good morning Captain," she greeted with a small smile while she palmed a styrofoam cup in her hands. Sesshoumaru nodded in affirmation. "I suppose it is a good morning Kagome. What are you doing out of bed?"

"Well, there aren't any beds on the ship," she lightly teased as she crossed the bridge to him. He listened as her feet lightly padded against the metallic floor, then glanced over his shoulder and noticed for the first time that without shoes she walked on her toes. Her movement was smooth and graceful, nearly as graceful as himself as the pads of her feet skimmed the cold metal floor like the paws of a dog or cat. "But I couldn't sleep. I'm restless."

"Humans need their sleep," Sesshoumaru reprimanded sternly, though not as coldly as he would have three days before. "And you are human....aren't you?"

"Yes, I'm human," Kagome nodded with a smile, then frowned when he returned the nod and swivelled back to the pilot's console. She walked to his side and set the cup down before leaning against his chair. Sesshoumaru's eyes flickered to the cup, then to her before grasping the cup in his hands and holding it under his nose.

"Tea," he said in quiet surprise. "How did you-"

"Oh come on," Kagome said with a slight brush of her hand. "I've lived with you for what, four months? I know you hate coffee and I know you like tea, though why I'll never know. Coffee works so much better when you're trying to stay awake."

"I don't need help staying awake," Sesshoumaru quipped with a smirk. "I drink tea to calm my mind. However....thank you all the same."

"Hey," Kagome began with a slight blush. "Not a problem. You look after us so someone has to look after you, don't you think?"

He quirked a dark brow at her reasoning, but shrugged and stood up. "Come here," he beckoned as he sat down at the navigation's console. He waited until she situated herself on the arm of the chair before enlarging the screen. "Do you understand this?" he asked as he pointed to the screen. He frowned when Kagome shook her head, wondering to himself why Inuyasha never bothered to teach her about navigation before explaining what they were studying..

"This is a navigation's screen. Whoever sits here is responsible for the course of the ship. The course can also be set for the auto-pilot, which is active at the moment while I explain this to you. Do you understand so far?"

Kagome nodded earnestly. "Yeah, I think I got it."

"Alright then." His eyes narrowed at the screen for a moment, then slid his left index finger down the left side of the screen. The map changed again, this time displaying a green line instead of the yellow one from before. "This is the old course, plotted out by our dear friend in intelligence."

"Let me guess," Kagome grumbled as she glanced at the screen. "Hojo." She groaned and slapped her forehead when Sesshoumaru nodded. "I'm so sorry about that."

"I believe I've told you about how futile it is to apologize for other's behavior," Sesshoumaru quipped before tapping a clawed finger against the plexiglass screen. "Again, this is the old course. The Balamb to Trabia course is fine, but the Trabia to Trabia Canyon course is a little...off. Do you see it?"

Kagome followed his finger along the old pathway, her eyes widening in realization much faster than he would have expected. "Hey, he's got us going over the ocean instead of going straight down the continent!"

"That was rather quick...for a human," Sesshoumaru added as a quick save. He mentally smirked when her irritation reflected in her scent but continued his explanation. "Instead of setting the auto pilot to go down the continent, as you suggested, he plotted the course as if we were returning to Balamb before the canyon. I wonder what made him do that..."

"Um, that would be me."

He glanced at her, then turned to her fully at the dark blush on her cheeks. "Well..."

"Um...yeah. He asked me out and I turned him down a couple of days before we left. Eheh. Sorry. Told you it was my fault."

'Humans,' Sesshoumaru thought with a mental roll of his eyes. He returned the screen to it's original position and size before standing up again. He glanced back to his seat, then glanced at the one to it's left before moving toward it. Again Kagome followed him, as he expected as he sat down in front of the console and opened the screen. "Sit," he said as he stood up and motioned toward the seat. Kagome glanced at him curiously, but did as he suggested. "Now type in your ID number."

"Which one?"

"Garden, SeeD, doesn't matter. It's the same thing."

"Oh," Kagome muttered as she began typing. "I didn't know that. I thought it changed or something. OK, what now?"

"This is the gunner's console," he told her as a set of joysticks rose out of the desk over her lap. "This station controls the machine guns and missile launchers attached to either side of the ship. Those joysticks help you aim and fire the weapons."

"Why am I sitting here then?" Kagome wondered. "Shouldn't Miroku or Sango be here instead?"

"They would be," Sesshoumaru admitted with a devious glint in his otherwise impassive eyes. "But you are the one that cannot sleep, correct?"

"Oh, so this is busy work is it?" she mumbled with a frown. "Jeez, what fun."

"Perhaps," Sesshoumaru made as if to agree. "However, this kind of 'busy work' can go on your SeeD resume."

"For real?" Kagome exclaimed, willing and eager to add whatever she could to her already impressive stats. "How?"

"There are four simulations, all that you have access to from this terminal. Pass the four simulations and the test that come with them and-"

"There's _tests_ to these things?" Kagome exclaimed in horror. "Oh man! I **hate** tests!"

"If you are quite finished," Sesshoumaru quipped impatiently. He waited a moment longer before beginning again. "After the four tests, there's a final exam. Pass it and you are automatically ranked as a Gunner Class A."

"What class are you?" Kagome asked as he opened the first simulation screen. "I bet you're like a triple Z or something."

He quirked a brow at her, finding her exaggeration somehow...cute. "No. The classes only go from A to F. Here you are," he said as he stepped away from the screen. "Begin."

"Alright-y then," Kagome said before giving her full attention to the screen. Sesshoumaru watched over her shoulder as she performed the various lessons, her ability to adapt and absorb the information flying at her almost astounding. 'She does not seem to have any trouble,' he said to himself with a mental shrug. 'I have better things to do than stand here and watch over her.' He returned to his seat and watched the night sky, the cup of tea she brought him in his hands as he leaned back in his chair.

Sesshoumaru kept tight vigil over their newly plotted course, his ears twitching slightly at the random 'oo's and 'ah's of amazement and frustration coming from behind him. He glanced back at her once before checking the new course he set before her arrival and studied it for minor defects.

At 5:30 Kagome gave a deep sigh and stretched, her hands finally leaving the joysticks to rise above her head. "Man, that was intense," she purred happily. "But it was actually fun."

"How far are you?" Sesshoumaru asked as he turned around.

"Um...I've finished the first simulation test and started on 2-1 of the second sim."

"I see," he replied before glancing at his watch. "It is time for you to retire Kagome. You're still healing."

"Yeah, I know. Thanks though for helping me find something to do."

He waved her gratitude aside with a flippant sweep of his claws. "I cannot have you running amuck and disturbing others now can I?"

"Jeez," Kagome replied with a irritated frown. "If I didn't know any better, I'd swear you were a nice guy."

"Well then it's good you know better," he responded before returning to the pilot's terminal. "You may leave now."

"Permission to ask a question Captain?" Kagome asked. She frowned again when Sesshoumaru remained silent before deciding to use it as permission. "Why me? Why would you want me to learn the gunner's chair? Wouldn't Sango or Miroku be better suited?"

"Privates Almasy and Saikai would be better at different tasks," Sesshoumaru replied after a few minutes of silence. "Inuyasha has already been trained in navigation, and the kitsune would be better suited for communications. You are the logical choice. You also seem to have more control."

"Yeah," Kagome mumbled sadly, tears brimming in her eyes as she rubbed her left upper forearm. "I don't think the soldiers I killed the other day would agree to that."

'It still bothers her,' Sesshoumaru realized with a mental sigh. "Did I not tell you that I took care of that?"

"Yeah but-"

"Then don't worry about it. Go to bed Kagome. We will speak once you've had sufficient rest."

"Er...ok then," she sighed brokenly. "Goodnight."

"More like good morning, but goodbye all the same." Sesshoumaru waited until she left to lean back in his chair, his eyes closing as he mentally went over his conversation with her. 'It's almost as if she expected life as a SeeD to be less bloody than what it is,' he reasoned. 'She will have to accept the fact that she's a mercenary, even if she does have a negotiator's status. She will have to learn that...' He actually sighed at his train of thought, golden eyes sliding open wearily as he gazed at the early morning sky.

"To be a SeeD, sometimes the blood of others must be shed."

II

Kagome yawned, wiped the sweat from her brow and glanced at Kikyou's back as she ran ahead of her, the blaring heat of the sun baking down on them and the cracked desert. Other Garden students were on the plain as well, some dressed in the grayed Trabia uniforms, some in cobalt blue Balamb uniforms while others were dressed in navy blue Galbadia uniforms.

Kagome yawned again before jogging to catch up with Kikyou. "Kik!" she hollered as she closed the distance between them. "What are we out here for at-" she glanced at her watch and groaned. "10:00 in the morning? And why didn't you drag Inuyasha out here instead of me?"

"Oh, um..." Kikyou stopped and crouched down in front of a severe crack in the rocky sand. "We're out here looking for quartz. There were a couple of students that were out here yesterday that found a huge thing of the stuff."

"Ok," Kagome nodded as she sat down on the ground beside her and caught her breath. "So why are you looking for quartz?"

"I wanted to make friendship bracelets for us," Kikyou replied with a grin. "I thought it'd be something to do so we could remember each other."

"Trust me Kik," Kagome smiled as Kikyou unlatched a small shovel from her belt loop and shoved it into the crack. "I don't think we'll have any trouble remembering each other."

"Really? I'm glad then," Kikyou smiled before passing Kagome an extra shovel. "Now enough talking. Start digging."

Kagome groaned playfully but complied and together they began their mini 'excavation'. They quit at mid afternoon, having found six dozen golf ball sized opals instead of the quartz Kikyou wanted. Kagome followed behind her once again, this time on their way back as Kikyou studied their findings. "You know Kagome," Kikyou said as she buffed one against her shorts. "Opals are _way_ more expensive than quartz, and better too! They're going to make pretty bracelets. Oh, but here." She passed Kagome half of the opals. "These are yours."

"Huh?" Kagome glanced down at the pretty stones in her hands. "Why?"

"Because they're yours. You helped me find them, so you get half of them. It's only fair."

"I couldn't," Kagome said as she pushed her share back to Kikyou. "It wasn't my idea to look for anything."

"But you helped dig," Kikyou protested. "Here, you should keep them. Sell them if you want to but please take them."

"I don't know Kik-"

"Hey!"

They stopped mid argument and turned toward their right. A group of panther youkai dressed in Galbadian uniforms walked toward them and Kagome could tell by the look on their faces that they weren't friendly. "Come on Kik," she said as she gently grasped her elbow and began to walk back to their Garden. "I'm getting weird vibes from them."

"Me too," Kikyou shivered. "Let's go."

"Hey!" one of the Galbadian panthers yelled again. "Humans! We're talking to you over here!!"

"Just keep going Kik," Kagome whispered. Kikyou nodded, the funny feeling in the pit of her stomach decreasing as they walked away. The feeling suddenly became worse, and Kikyou gasped when Kagome shoved her behind her and unsheathed her gunblade as one of the panthers landed in front of them. He grinned down at them, his fists at his hips as the other panthers closed in on them from the other sides.

"Didn't you hear the boss callin' you?" he growled with a wicked sneer. "Or are you humans just deaf?"

"We don't have time for this," Kagome responded instead. "Let us pass!"

"Kagome, I don't like this," Kikyou said. She unwrapped the whip tied to her side and stood with her back against Kagome's. "I don't think they like us."

"We heard you Balamb trash had a girl gunblade with you, but we didn't think it was a _human_," the youkai laughed.

"No way," one of the other youkai jeered. "That chick is a youkai for sure!"

"Do I look like a youkai?" Kagome snapped angrily. "Besides, what do you care? You don't care anything about us _lowly_ humans anyway!"

"Hey," Kikyou said suddenly. "What did you say about Balamb Garden?"

"Kik-"

"That the whole Garden's nothing but a bunch of trash," another panther, this one a girl with red hair, spoke up. "I don't see how that Garden ended up with Headmaster Leonheart anyway."

"Hey, do **not** talk about our Garden," Kagome growled. "You don't know anything about it so shut up!"

"The only thing worse than Balamb Garden," the first panther laughed. "Is Trabia Garden. As a matter of fact, between the hicks and the dumbasses, I think all of you suck."

"Well it's not like Galbadia's any better," Kikyou shot back. "Besides, wasn't it _your _Garden that was on the Sorceress' side during the last war?"

"That was because of our headmaster, not us!" the female panther replied. "That wouldn't have happened if our headmaster were youkai. You humans are weak!"

"Kik, call Inuyasha," Kagome said as she passed her comphone to her. She frowned when Kikyou passed it back. "What the-"

"I don't need it," she replied sheepishly. "He's on the way."

"Huh?"

"See?" one of the youkai jeered at her. "That's another reason why humans are worthless! You can't even smell the mate mark on her can you?"

"Mate mark?" Kagome glanced over her shoulder at Kikyou and noticed the tiny puncture marks on her neck that hovered just above her open collar. Kikyou returned Kagome's shock with a sheepish smile and a blush, unaware of her friend's growing temper as one of the panthers grabbed her by the shoulder and spun her around.

"Yeah, it's this one," he called out as he sniffed her shoulder. "She's got dog all over her."

"Then that's the one we want," the first youkai replied before giving Kagome a wicked grin. "Even though we could give this one a spin too."

"Let go of her!" Kagome cried out when the youkai holding Kikyou moved to throw her over his shoulder. A ball of flames exploded right in front of the youkai's eyes and he howled in shock and pain, his grip on Kikyou loosening enough for her to drop to the ground. "None of you will touch her!" Kagome snarled viciously, Junsei shining in her hands and her green eyes glittering in bloody promise.

"And if we do?" the first youkai purred as he walked toward her. "What can you do little human? What would you do if we touched-YOW!" he hollered when a single thunderbolt struck him. He stumbled away from Kagome with an angry snarl, one that was quickly answered as Inuyasha and Shippou landed between them.

"Hey Kagome," Shippou greeted as he scratched his right wrist and the strange scar going down his arm. "What's going on? You're pissed off about someth-"

"Take Kikyou back to the Garden," she mumbled instead. "She shouldn't be here."

"But Kagome, Inuyasha! I want to stay!" Kikyou protested and huffed when Inuyasha shook his head. "She's right Kik," Inuyasha told her before kissing her forehead. "You go back with Shippou." He and Kagome watched as Shippou grasped Kikyou by the waist and took to the sky before she could utter another protest. "Heh," Inuyasha growled as Kagome sheathed her weapon. "Glad you saved some for me."

"Whatever," Kagome mumbled absently, her eyes still locked on the lead panther as Kikyou's mark raced through her mind. 'He didn't even tell us,' she thought as the panthers continued to put down both Trabia and Balamb Gardens. 'I mean what, did he think we'd get mad or something? He could have told us. He's such a jerk!'

"You're just scared..."

Inuyasha and the lead panther stopped arguing long enough to glance at her, then turned to her fully as Shippou returned to her side. "What was that little human?" the panther asked while Kagome cracked her knuckles.

"I said you're scared," Kagome repeated loudly, the need to expel her anger binding her common sense. "That's why you're doing all this talking and no doing."

"And what makes you think I'm scared?" he asked with a grin. Shippou and Inuyasha backed away from her warily, the scent of lavender fury pouring from Kagome's skin in heavy perfumed waves.

"Because," she grinned devilishly. "You're scared that this weak human is going to kick your ass."

"Doubt it," another panther said from the crowd. "Human bitches can't fight. All they're good for is rutting, and they can't even do that right."

"Well let's see if I do this right," Kagome growled seconds before punching the youkai in his jaw. He stumbled back, his eyes glazing over in pain and anger.

"Why you little-"

Kagome punched him again before he could finish, this time managing to knock him out. "Next?"

)-(

Sesshoumaru strolled down the hallway, his hands in his jeans pockets while he wandered his inner thoughts. 'I wonder why the evacuation turned out the way it did,' he said to himself as he walked out of the dorm hallway onto the commons square. 'Surely Deling brought with him enough soldiers to fully overthrow we six, but he didn't. It was almost like a scrimmage. But what made him stop?

'According to Inuyasha, Galbadia soldiers were seconds before breaking down the gate and flooding the Garden, but they didn't. What stopped-" He grunted in annoyance when a pair of Trabia students bumped into him. They apologized profusely before running off once again. He ignored their apology for their conversation, then followed the two as they rushed outside.

"I don't get it," one of them said. "What's going on?"

"It's a full on riot!" the other student chirped excitedly. "One of the other guys in my gym class said that a bunch of Galbadia youkai insulted Trabia and Balamb right? He didn't know who threw the first punch but he said that now it's raging out there!"

'Humans and their exaggerations,' Sesshoumaru said to himself as he followed them outside. His jaw slackened instantly, though none noticed as the two humans in front of him gasped. Students and SeeD fought in a huge crowd in the center of the field, the smell of blood, sweat and anger suffocating in the expanse and open air.

"This has Inuyasha written all over it," Sesshoumaru mumbled softly with a shake of his head. He changed into a tiny golden ball and fluttered over the grounds toward Inuyasha's scent. He found him just as Inuyasha and a cheetah youkai began to spar, the fight ending as quickly as it began when Inuyasha launched a swift kick to the side of the cheetah's head.

'Inuyasha,' Sesshoumaru growled as he activated his link with him. 'What have you done-'

'Before you get started,' Inuyasha griped as he punched a youkai in the snout and avoided it's counterattack. 'I didn't start this...though I can't say I'm complainin'.'

'Then what started this?' Sesshoumaru demanded after landing on Inuyasha's ear. He remained there like a golden earring while Inuyasha continued fighting.

'Believe it or not, Kagome.'

'How?' Sesshoumaru wondered in surprise.

'I don't know to be honest,' Inuyasha replied. 'All I know is that she and Kikyou came out here this morning looking for something. The next thing I know Kikyou starts panickin' so bad it knocked me out of bed-'

'You mated the human?' Sesshoumaru interrupted. 'Already?'

'Well yeah,' Inuyasha grunted, then punched another Galbadia student in the side and drop kicked him before shoving him to the ground. 'Why? Don't give me that 'She's human and-'

'Have you told Father?'

'Um...' Inuyasha stopped fighting long enough to scratch his unoccupied ear. 'I knew I forgot something.'

'Hmnh. Figures. Continue.'

'Oh, yeah. Um...anyway.' Inuyasha clawed through an unlucky SeeDs uniform as he ran past. 'Oh! Me and Shippou came out here tryin' to see what was goin' on. By the time we got here she and Kik were surrounded by panthers.'

Sesshoumaru frowned, a slight growl escaping the little ball of light as it returned to the air above.

'Shippou took Kik away and came back in time for Kagome to pass the first lick.'

'Lick?' Sesshoumaru repeated in confusion, though his voice remained clear.

'Lick. You know, punch, kick, hit. Lick. It's a term. Anyway, if you want someone to blame-' he grunted as he ducked his opponent's forward kick, then grasped him by his ankle and punched him in the thigh. 'Then go find her. Leave me alone would ya? I'm fighin' over here.'

Sesshoumaru frowned but did as Inuyasha requested for once. He fluttered above the fighters heads until he found Kagome's scent, the absence of lavender surprising as he followed it to her. He studied her form as she fought, the loose kickboxer's stance nearly as surprising as the look in her eyes. She was calm, where most would be obviously angry with a quiet passion and pleasure alight in her bottle green eyes.

He glanced back as another panther youkai came rushing toward her, hoping to use her fight with another SeeD to his advantage. 'Now that's just not fair,' Sesshoumaru quipped with a dark smirk. 'Someone has forgotten the rules of battle.'

)-(

Kagome ducked, the youkai's fist flying inches over the top of her ponytail. She quickly flipped away, her heels connecting with the side of her opponent's head before returning to the ground. The youkai she fought fell soon afterward and Kagome dusted the sand from her hands before turning around. She gasped as another Galbadia student fell at her feet before glancing up at the source.

"Hello captain," she greeted with a smile. She brushed her bang out of her eyes and waved in thanks before returning to the brawl. "What brings you out here?" she grunted as she rammed her knee into a female SeeD's side.

"I've come out of curiosity," he answered before shoving his hands back into his pockets. "Why exactly did you start this little-"

"Start?" Kagome interrupted as she shoved the SeeD away from her and turned to glare at him. "I didn't **start** this! Who told you I started this?"

"Then who did?" he asked instead of answering her. "And why?"

"Oh, that's simple. Hey, look out!"

Sesshoumaru turned just as a bear youkai attempted to claw his back. He grasped the youkai by the wrist and flung him forward. Kagome's fist connected with the bear's jaw with a loud crack and it crumpled to the ground to lay beside the panther youkai. "Thank you," Sesshoumaru nodded politely. "You are...helpful, when you want to be of course."

"But of course," Kagome laughed before turning back. "Oh, you asked a question. Um.." She took the time to uppercut another youkai, watching with a pleased smile as it shook his head and stumbled away from her. "A bunch of Galbadia jerks decided to start with Kik and I. They tried to grab her and got pissed off when I stopped it." She frowned then and sidestepped the youkai, shattered his kneecap and waited for him to fall before glaring at the left side of the field.

"They knew about Inuyasha's mark," she muttered darkly. "They came especially for her."

"Really...." 'So,' Sesshoumaru thought as Kagome continued on without him. 'It was a direct attack. She didn't start the fight after all. I wonder if Inuyasha realizes that.' He turned at the scent of a youkai, this one a female with the scent of winter and snow.

"You..."

"Yes, me," she replied with a smirk. "You remember me, don't you?"

"What do you want?"

"Oh, nothing," she replied. She causally flipped an ice blue lock over her shoulder and brushed off the side of her uniform. "I heard that brother of yours is mated now. And to a human too." She shook her head in mock pity and laughed. "What a shame. But then again, he _is_ only a halfbreed."

"But that doesn't excuse your attack on a Endo house member," Sesshoumaru replied cooly, though inside he grimaced at having to admit to Inuyasha's stupidity.

"I don't need an excuse," she shrugged. "I just wanted to do it. Oh well. But why are you out here?"

"Why do you think?" Sesshoumaru responded and extended his claws. She smiled and quickly copied with her own.

"Fine. I wouldn't mind removing you from the planet anyway." She rushed forward with the claws of her left hand glowing a piercing blue. She moved to strike but gasped when her neck began to burn. Sesshoumaru tightened his lightening whip around her neck and jerked her forward, careful not to remove her head from her shoulders. He growled in her face, his deep, threatening snarl sending shivers through the panthers around him. She hissed back before a sharp pain began behind her right eye and passed out.

Sesshoumaru dropped her unceremoniously and frowned at the four panthers waiting on him. He gracefully slid into a defense position, his feet shifting to shoulder length apart and his open hands at his left shoulder and right thigh.

He quickly grabbed the first panther by the collar and flipped him, ignoring the youkai as it sailed over his head before chopping the next one in the throat. The youkai fell to his knees in front of him, his hands encircling his neck as his windpipe collapsed. Sesshoumaru pushed him aside and blocked the next panther, this one a rather large one with cinnamon streaks in it's jet black hair. He waved the next punch aside and flinched when it jabbed him in the stomach.

Sesshoumaru stepped back, sent a knockout blow to the youkai's head and smirked as the youkai sank into unconsciousness. He dispensed of the remaining two without a problem before returning to Kagome. He found her deep within a fight of her own. She ducked the forward slash of a cougar, then grasped it's wrist and pressed her back flush against his. Her arm sailed over the youkai's head when he ducked, but she managed to backhand him a second later. The cougar's head snapped to the side, allowing Kagome to grasp him in a sleeper hold. She kicked his knees from underneath him and held on until the cougar lay unmoving, but still breathing, at her feet.

Kagome jumped up and stood by Sesshoumaru's side when a pack of panthers descended on them. She glanced up at him and found him to be as calm as always. On any other day that would have bothered her, but the quiet confidence on his face was actually reassuring. She smiled up at him, knowing that he wouldn't see it, and faced the pack in front of them when a shrill whistle sounded across the desert.

The panthers and most of the other youkai winced in pain and desperately grasped their ears. Kagome grimaced, the sound abusive to human ears as well while Sesshoumaru stood unaffected. There were sighs of relief when it stopped but not before everyone turned toward the sound. "What's going on?" she whispered to Sesshoumaru, who could see over the crowd. "Who made that noise?"

"You'll see in a moment," she heard him say, and to her it sounded as if there was slight annoyance in his tone. She opened her mouth to ask another question when Headmaster Leonheart's voice boomed into the crowd from a bullhorn.

"Tell me," he began, his voice enraged and tight. "That I'm not seeing this. Tell me I don't see SeeD **fighting** each other! I'm not seeing this am I?"

"But Headmaster," one Trabia student began. "It's not our fault. We-"

"I don't care who's fault it is," Squall interrupted with a growl. "Do you all realize that right above that mountain, _right there_ _above that mountain,_ Deling's waiting for a chance to kill you! Can you imagine how easy his job would be if he came and saw you fighting each other? He doesn't care if your youkai or human, Trabia or Galbadia. All he cares about is how fast you'll die."

Kagome flinched, an embarrassed blush flushing her cheeks as she relaxed out of her fighter's stance.

"Why are you helping him?" Squall asked after a moment's silence. "Don't you care that he's practically enslaved Deling City and the entire country of Galbadia? Don't you care that Timber's under occupation _again_? Don't you care about the hundreds of SeeDs he's already arrested or killed in the past five months?" The crowd heard him sigh, then fall silent before speaking again.

"I'm going to let this pass," he said finally. "We're all going to pretend this never happened and that whatever caused this rift never existed. Is that understood?" Mumbles of 'Yes Headmaster' were heard, with Kagome mumbling a quick one of her own. "Good. Now all of you return to your rooms for the rest of the day. That is all."

Kagome groaned and began to make her way back to the Garden, Sesshoumaru forgotten and ignoring the others in

the crowd. Shippou and Inuyasha caught up with her at the front gate and groaned. "Oh man," Inuyasha growled. "Did we just get grounded?"

"You need to be grounded," Shippou retorted as he nursed a cut on his cheek. To his relief it disappeared in seconds, though Kagome wasn't so lucky when she found blood on her hand. "Are you ok?" he asked as he stopped her. He grabbed her hand and held it to his face, a single digit tracing over her bloody knuckles as Inuyasha pointed toward a nearby fountain. "What happened?" they asked her as they rinsed off the injury.

"I don't know. I don't remember doing it," she replied with a shrug. "It might have been the cougar."

"That's great," Inuyasha crowed as Shippou ripped off the end of his shirt and wrapped it around her hand. "Only you would get hurt and not know how you did it."

"Shut up Inuyasha," Shippou snapped. "You're not helping."

"When does he?" Kagome muttered and began to walk away.

"Hey," Inuyasha shouted behind her as she climbed up the Garden stairs. "Where you going?"

"She's going to the infirmary numbnuts," Shippou growled and wacked him upside the head. "Where do you think she's going?"

"Whatever," Inuyasha mumbled as Shippou ran to follow her. "I've got better things to do anyway."

III

The fight was nearly forgotten three weeks later, with all three Gardens finally coming together under Headmaster Leonheart's command. Sesshoumaru welcomed the peace and quiet with open arms. The constant squabbling between the students and SeeDs had finally stopped, though all three Gardens were still wary of one another.

Sesshoumaru exited the dormitory wing and stepped out onto the commons circle, his right hand in the pocket of his black dress pants. His teal green shirt was left unbuttoned, the black tank top underneath a perfect background for his silver dog tags. He walked without a destination in mind, allowing himself to mill from wing to wing as he sank deep within his thoughts. He yawned slightly as he entered the quad and the wind ruffled through his bangs and lifted his ponytail from his back. Water lily wafted to him on the breeze and he followed it down the stairs to his right.

Kagome sat on a nearby bench, her back turned to him and her arms folded against the back as she looked down at the fountain below her. She looked up and smiled when Sesshoumaru sat on the other end of the bench. "Good afternoon," she said politely. "What are you doing out here?"

"Nothing of great importance," he replied as he nonchalantly glanced at her. He leaned back and closed his eyes, not caring that she would see him so relaxed. "And you?" he asked after a moment. "What are you doing out here?"

"Avoiding the stares of my friends," Kagome admitted with a sigh. Sesshoumaru said nothing and glanced her over, finding nothing about her to be odd or out of place. Her hair was in the same high ponytail, with a pastel pink ribbon streaming down the ends. Her halter top matched her ribbon, with her usual pair of dark washed hiphuggers and black steel toed boots.

"What is so odd about you...other than your obviously revealing clothing?" he asked with a quirked brow. Kagome scowled in his direction, then sighed and returned to the landscape behind him.

"They say my temper's getting worse," she sighed. She fisted her bandaged hand and cradled it in her uninjured one, a slight frown marring her angelic face as turquoise eyes became a deep teal under his watch. "I think they might be right. I can't...my hand."

Sesshoumaru inwardly sighed and reached toward her. "Allow me," he growled impatiently. Kagome hesitated, but allowed him to unwrap her bandages and inspect the knuckles that had yet to heal. He winced in sympathy and glanced at her through narrow eyes. "These do not look right. Why?"

"Um....well...."

"There's a wall in your room with a hole in it isn't there?"

Kagome blushed darkly, her cheeks turning a fierce crimson. "How did you-"

"Something's bothering you," he said as if he were telling her the time of day. "And you're venting. It's something youkai pups do."

"Well I'm not youkai, and I'm not a 'pup' either," Kagome huffed as he re-wrapped her hand. "But yeah, I guess venting is the right word. Thanks. I was wondering what it was."

He nodded at her thanks and moved to ask a question when his name was yelled across the grounds. They both looked up as Inuyasha darted into the quad and groaned, both wondering to themselves if the other would cover for them if they disappeared.

"There you are," Inuyasha shouted as he leapt down the stairs to land in front of them. "I've been looking for you for a while. Hey Kago-hime. What 'cha doin' here?"

"Nothing and **stop** calling me that," Kagome grumbled. She shrugged and mouthed 'Don't ask' when Sesshoumaru gave her a confused glare, then waved as Shippou, Sango, Miroku and Headmaster Leonheart descended the stairs toward them. "Hey you guys! Good afternoon Headmaster. How are you?"

"I'm fine. Please," he waved his hand as Kagome and Sesshoumaru began to stand. "There's no need for that. I've come to ask Sesshoumaru for a favor."

"Alright," Sesshoumaru replied as he returned to his reclined position against the bench. "What is it?"

"Well, we've received a few reports from our informant in Deling's army," Headmaster Leonheart explained with an aggravated frown. "And he's saying that Deling plans on arresting the former headmaster, Cid Kramer, and his wife Edena. Since you're the only active SeeD that's trained to fly the Ragnarork..."

"You need me to retrieve them," Sesshoumaru finished and sighed when he nodded. "Alright. I'll do it."

"You'll need someone else to go with you." Headmaster Leonheart glanced at the small squadron around him. "Any volunteers?"

Everyone glanced from one to the other, neither human, hanyou or kitsune too keen on being alone with Sesshoumaru for an extended period of time. Sesshoumaru finally growled his frustration and stood. "I'll go by myself," he said coldly. "I don't need anyone with me."

"But you do," the headmaster disagreed and turned back to the squadron. "I can always make it an order-"

"I'll go," Kagome chirped finally. She blushed at the other's shocked gazes and shrugged. "Like the headmaster said, he can't go by himself."

"If you are doing this for me," Sesshoumaru began with his usual cold indifference. "Then kindly spare —"

"Fine with me," Headmaster Leonheart interrupted with a snap of his fingers. "This mission will be exceedingly shorter than your last. I would suggest packing for a full week instead of two. The Ragnorork is waiting outside the front gates, so please be quick about getting ready."

"Yes sir," Kagome and Sesshoumaru replied before taking their leave. They walked down the hallway together silently, unaware of another's presence as it followed them. They split up, with Sesshoumaru going to the left and Kagome going to the right. She walked down the hall and into her room, mentally planning everything she would need as she jerked her black duffle bag and train case from underneath her bed. She began to pack quickly and was so absorbed in her work that she didn't notice Inuyasha enter the room until he grabbed her shoulders and spun her around.

"Hey Inu-pa," she greeted with a smile. It disappeared at the fury on his face and she frowned. "What's wrong?"

"What's the deal with you and Sesshoumaru?" he growled at her, his hands already fisted at his sides. He growled again at her confusion and raised his hands to shake her. "Don't act like you don't know what I'm talking about! What's the deal with you and my brother?"

"I don't know what you're talking about!" Kagome yelled as she slapped his hands away. "You're nuts! What's your problem?!"

"You've been acting like a bitch these past couple of days," Inuyasha retorted before lightly shoving her. Kagome stumbled backward, her hip connecting with her nightstand with a wooden thump. "You can't even say two straight words to me without getting pissed off and now you're hanging all over Sessho-"

"I'm not HANGING ALL OVER SESSHOUMARU!" Kagome screeched back. She picked up a box of tissues and hurled them at his head, a satisfied smile gracing her features when they bounced off his right ear.

"Yes you are! I can't believe you!" Inuyasha pushed her again and again she bumped her hip on the nightstand behind her. "Do you think you're the first girl to have a crush on him?!"

"Huh?" Kagome muttered, her earlier confusion melting into complete befuddlement. "What are you talking about? I don't have a crush on-"

"Yes you do and I can tell! You're practically throwing yourself at him and for what? Just so he can fuck you and forget about you? You're so stupid!"

"Have you lost your **MIND**?!!!" Kagome hollered back at him. "I don't even like him that way! He's just our captain! And as for me volunteering, somebody had to! You heard the headmaster! He couldn't go by himself!"

"Oh, so you just so _happen_ to decide to go? Yeah right," Inuyasha scoffed. "I'm not stupid. You want something from him. It's either his money or his di-"

**SLAP!!!**

"How _dare_ you," Kagome growled, her eyes bright green slants as she glared down at him. "You don't have any room to talk Inuyasha! For the last time, _I'm not interested in your brother!!!!_ How could you even say something like that? You of all people should know me better than that!"

"Well," Inuyasha coughed and wiped a bit of blood away from his bottom lip. "You're the bitch keeping secrets."

"Oh. I see." Kagome nodded as if she were calming down, her gaze turning to the window and away from Inuyasha's amber orbs. She watched a bird fly from a sakura branch in what felt like slow motion, unaware of the thin ring of green that began to glow around her irises. "So...it's just like you and Kikyou right?"

"What about me and Kikyou?" Inuyasha asked. He watched as Kagome zipped her pack and tossed her extra ammo into her train case.

"When were you going to tell us about your mating mark?" Kagome asked as she fastened her holster to her side. She flipped open Junsei's case and quickly slid the weapon into it's home before grasping her luggage and walking out the door. "Oh, and Inuyasha?"

"What?" He growled, his pride still stinging at the swollen lip she'd given him.

"I don't ever want to talk to you again."

His head jerked up as the door slid closed behind her, his eyes clouded for a few moments before he shrugged. 'Whatever,' he said to himself as he left her room. 'She's mad now, but she won't be for long. She'll come back and everything'll be the same.' He grimaced when the side of his face began to burn and wiped away the blood he found there. 'Hmmm, must be Kagome's,' he said to himself as he continued to clean it away. He stalked toward his room to wash his face, forgetting both her and his brother for other, more important things.

IV

Kagome sat in the gunner's seat, her eyes glued to the screen as tiny beeps and zooms came from the speakers. Sesshoumaru glanced at her once as he walked past her to the navigation's seat, his usual cup of tea in his hand as he sat down and punched up the main screen. He studied the map and their destination without interest, his attention more on the young lady beside him than the screen itself.

'She left the Garden in a huff,' he said to himself as he reprogrammed the destination screen. 'And her hand was bleeding again. I wonder what happene-'

"**YES!!!** Ha-HA!"

Sesshoumaru watched as she jumped from her seat, a gentle laugh escaping her lips as she danced around the gunner's console. She was wearing a bright green knee length skirt, a pair of ankle length steel toed boots, a white baby tee and a black bomber jacket with a burning Celtic cross on the back/ left breast. Her hair was braided down her back with a green ribbon tied at the ends. Sesshoumaru waited for her to stop for a few minutes, then cleared his throat and waited for her attention.

"Kagome," he said finally. "What are you doing?"

"I passed!" Kagome chirped happily as she continued to dance. "I passed the Gunner's Exam!"

"Already?" Sesshoumaru moved and sat down in her chair before pulling up her test results. "Not bad," he commented as he read over her test and exam results. "No wonder you've been so quiet these two days."

"Well, I had to blow off some steam," she shrugged. She glanced over his shoulder when he began typing and asked, "So now what do I do now? And what are you doing?"

"I'm sending your results back to Balamb," he told her as he continued to type. An 'Email Sent' message appeared on the screen a few seconds before he switched screens, this one activating a drawer on the console's left side. "Drop your tags in that drawer."

"Why?" Kagome asked as she removed the tags and slid the drawer closed. "What's that?"

"That's going to put a special mark on your tags. Look." He held out his own and held still while Kagome grasped the tags. One had his rank, name, weapon name and blood type just like hers but the second one held nothing but an engraved G that was the size of a grain of rice. "That machine stamps the G on your tags. Your gunner's rank won't be on there, but it will be on the SeeD Ranking List back at the Gar-"

"What's that?" Kagome gasped as the radar console's alarm went off. The regular lights in the room switched to the red flashing emergency lights and the sound of the alarm echoed throughout the ship. Kagome ran behind Sesshoumaru when he went to check it, but he sat down before she could get there and blocked the screen. He grimaced slightly and looked up at her. "Get back to your chair."

"What?" she stammered as he darted past him toward the pilot's seat. "What's going on?"

"We're being targeted," he growled back at her. "Now get back to your seat!" He glared back at her as she did as he ordered before turning back to his screen.

"There's an incoming response," Kagome told him as three fighter jets the same size as the Ragnarok appeared in front and on either side of them. Sesshoumaru's radar screen detected another one behind them and a single bleep of an incoming hail. He frowned as he flipped on the screen and the calm voice of President Deling sounded over the P.A. system.

"This is Juromaru Deling, president of Galbadia-"

"Duh," Kagome grumbled to herself and blushed when Sesshoumaru glared at her. "Sorry."

"You are in violation of Galbadia airspace. You have three minutes to land or risk being shot down."

"We are not violating Galbadia airspace," Sesshoumaru told him as he motioned for Kagome to prepare herself. "As a matter of fact, this is Centra and there are no airspace regulations for the Centra continents. You, however, are in violation of the Galbadia Sorceress Treaty. You have been for a while now but you are aware of that."

A deep laugh was his answer before another man came over the system. "You have been fairly warned. Two minutes have already commenced."

"What'll we do now?" Kagome asked when Sesshoumaru flicked on the mute button to the system. "Are we just gonna land or are we gonna fight?"

"Ten seconds."

"We're going to fight of course," Sesshoumaru replied. "On his count, arm the systems and fire."

"Are you sure?"

"Nine..."

"Yes, very sure. Now get ready Kagome."

"Eight..."

Kagome gripped the joysticks, her left pinky finger hovering over the tiny green button on the console's right screen.

"Seven...."

Sesshoumaru switched off the auto-pilot and grasped the handles that rose out of the console. He eyed the planes on either side of him and glanced at the radar for the one in the back.

"Four..."

"Three..."

"Two..."

"Oh man," Kagome groaned softly. "I just knew today wasn't my day."

"Fire!"

The Ragnarok quickly jerked to the right, smashing itself into the jet on that side before falling into a rapid descent. Gunfire from it's right and left side sprayed across the open sky, with minute holes being drilled into the left jet's side. Smoke poured from it's engines as it began to fall and the pilot's parachute could be seen a few minutes before it crashed into the ocean.

Sesshoumaru jerked the ship to the left again as Kagome fired, the three remaining jets already hounding them as they flew toward the upper Centra continent. "There's too many!" Kagome shouted over the sounds of battle. "We can't keep them off for long! We've gotta call for help!"

'Any help we send for will be at least a full day in coming,' Sesshoumaru growled as he continued eluding the jets. 'We're going to have to think of something else....something more effective.' He snapped his fingers, resumed evasive maneuvers and switched on the radio.

"Hey, what's going on-Oh my God, what's that?!" Kagome exclaimed as an enormous indego and silver dragon appeared on her right side. "Who's GF is that?"

"That's Bahamut," Sesshoumaru ground out over his shoulder. "And let's hope he'll be of some help."

Kagome nodded in agreement and fired around the massive reptile as it streaked across the sky toward the nearest jet. Sesshoumaru nearly smirked when the pilot screamed in fright when Bahamut landed on the jet and began to shake it. It ripped it apart like a tin can, completely unfazed as the jet exploded between it's claws. It roared in triumph, it's great head directed to the clouds above as it sounded off it's victory. "Yay!" Kagome cheered, her hands leaving the joysticks long enough to clap. "That was so cool! I hope the pilot's ok though."

"You would," Sesshoumaru grumbled and shook his head.

"Hey, tell it to watch-" Kagome cried out moments before a missile struck the dragon in the side. It roared again, this time in agony as the two remaining jets fired at the GF. It reared back and clawed through the nearest jet's underbelly. The plane went down, but not before firing off one last missile at the GF. The missile missed by a few meters and struck the Ragnarok in the right side. Fire alarms went off almost instantly, with the shrill alert piercing both their ears as Sesshoumaru checked the damage report.

"The cargo port's a lost cause," he shouted over the alarms. "But we still have the hanger and the-" He grimaced and braced himself on his armrests as another missile struck them, Bahamut no where to be seen as the two jets finally focused on them.

"Crap!" Kagome exclaimed as she scrambled off the floor and back to her chair. "We need seat belts or something! There goes the hallway! The Ragnarok's not going to take much more of this!" She screamed when an explosion went off on one of the lower decks. "What'll we do Captain?!"

"We abort mission and abandon ship. Let's go." He quickly set the auto pilot and ran from his seat, stopping long enough to grasp Kagome's wrist and jerk her from hers before stepping onto the elevator platform. They jumped down before the platform could fully stop and began to make their way the catwalk when Kagome stopped.

"Wait!"

"For what?" Sesshoumaru shouted back to her as she veered toward the passenger's deck. "What are you doing?"

"We've got to get our ammo, remember?" she shouted as she disappeared inside. Sesshoumaru mentally sighed and followed her. He held the door open as she grabbed the train case with both their ammunition packs, clips and boxes inside. He remembered her suggesting they share the abnormally large case when they first boarded the ship, his earlier protest at that little bit of precaution now foolish as she ran toward him. The door slammed shut the moment they passed the threshold and the p. a. system announced the self destruct sequence that had been activated during the last explosion.

"We've got a problem!" Kagome shouted as she struggled to open the catwalk door. "It's stuck!"

"It's not stuck, it's locked," Sesshoumaru told her. "Now move aside." Kagome stepped back and away, her eyes widening when his right hand turned an eerie green. He touched the metal door and waited, ignoring the explosions and alarms as his acid ate through the door to make a hole to the other side. He quickly stepped through it and glanced back as Kagome struggled to crawl through without being burned by the still liquid metal.

He turned back when she yelped and found Kagome sprawled on the floor, the train case beside her as she held her right ankle. She whimpered but jumped up and quickly limped across the catwalk toward him. He inwardly admired her strength, the pain she was going through reflecting in her eyes as she struggled to go faster. "Go ahead!" she growled at him. "I'm coming! Go ahead!"

"I'm sure you are," Sesshoumaru sighed when yet another explosion went off below them. The hanger below burst into flames and Kagome screamed again when the explosion nearly rocked her off her feet. Sesshoumaru jerked her to his side, slung her over his shoulder and sprinted down the rest of the catwalk to the air room door. He flung a ball of his acid at the door and jumped through it when it melted. The air room controls activated and the emergency exit opened instantly. Sesshoumaru took a second to glance around them before leaping from the inside of the ship.

He transformed in mid air, shifted Kagome to his back and began to run across the wind currents to the continent below them. He could feel Kagome's shallow breaths in his fur and realized she had passed out, no doubt from the pain as Bahamut returned. The dragon flew beside him like an escort, shielding the giant dog from the other jets as missiles and bullets rained down on them. Bahamut left Sesshoumaru's side and tore through another jet, this one falling apart but not exploding like the last one. Bullets from the downed plane ripped through Sesshoumaru's left arm. The taiyoukai roared in outrage and agony, white hot fire appearing in his mind's eye before all became black and the giant dog fell to the desert below.

(End chapter)

Naraku: I don't understand. Why aren't I in this fic?! There's SO MUCH I COULD DO WITH THIS!!!

Kagome: You're not in it because SF says so.

Inu-chan: And that's all you need to know you disgusting bastard.

Miroku: Here here Inuyasha! I don't believe the stench of baboon will ever come out of the stage curtains.

Naraku: You want to say that to my face pervert!

Miroku: Gladly. (Glances Naraku over) Which one's your face? The one you're sitting on or the one you're pointing at me?

Kagome: (as Naraku and Miroku argue) Oh well. Anyway, this chapter was different too.

Sango: (pushes Naraku over) Yeah. Who would have guessed that a brawl would be so ugly? (To Kagome) I can't believe you started it!

Kagome: I didn't start it-

Inu-chan: That's right! I started it! And I ended it to.

Sesshou: (from somewhere in the fridge) So you say little brother. So you say.

Inu-chan: You can't say shit! You didn't even come in till damned near the end!

Sesshou: (pulls out a vanilla pepsi and sits down) This Sesshoumaru does not have to make a fool of himself to assert his power.

Kagome: (before a second argument could break out) Anyway...there's no weird powers in this one. Just a lot of fighting and bullets flyin-

Shippou: Which was so cool!

Kagome: Shippou! Don't say things like that! Anyway, the next chapter promises to be interesting right SF?

SF: Yup, that's right. The summary's below.

(Sango): My friend...where is she? What happened to her? Is she alright? Is she safe? What about Sesshoumaru? Did he just leave her there? Didn't he try to help her? Why...why can't we get her on our comphones? Shippou's so miserable, though we all feel like hell. Where is she? Why won't she call home? Why won't she _come_ home?

What if...she _can't_...

Next chapter-Chapter Ten: Down the Rabbit Hole

(Responses)

Fanfiction

asobi-matsuro, Kaichai, Toxic Tears1, midnight972, Gray Wolf Demon, Miko Sorrow, Strawberrylover, ReginaLucifer, inudemoness247, YoMama 101, pinkittan, Non moose, azn-modern-miko, aznchicki, wackoramaco87, cute baby, Kit, kitt90 , Kingsley, KyouFan17 , baka onna, & Apri-chan: Thanks for the reviews you guys! Another chapter's on the way!

baka-onna2003: Lol. Thanks. The name of Kagome's first GF is Diablos. Her new one (the one that appeared in the last chapter) is Alexander.

Layla: Thanks for the birthday greeting. I'm sorry about how late the chapter is. I'm working on it and Second Chance at the same time. I REALLY need to update that one so that should be the next update. (crosses fingers) We'll see.

busoshwe: I agree totally. I love that damned ship...that's why it's been so damned hard to sink it. Gah, I'm so gonna get hurt for that one. I thought about adding Jaken in this, but I don't think I can make him fit. He might be there in a couple of chapters, but I'll have to work to get him in there.

Crystal Black Fire: lol. A shirt huh? Cute. lol. I don't know about Sesshou and that something funny. I'm pretty sure he'll pull something, but if I plan for it it'll go all to pot and won't sound right. Hopefully you'll feel the same way about the story after a few chapters. This story is moving faster than the others, which is one of the reasons why I'm working so hard on it. I suspect that it won't take but another ten to twelve chapters to finish the story, so be prepared.

Fire Phoenix: What's wrong with Kagome....um....I can't tell you yet. I can let you guess though. Don't worry, you'll see. It's not exactly a hard thing to grasp. The fight scenes are going to be absent for a couple of chapters, but that's only so I can move the story forward and kick some fluff in between Sesshou and Kagome.

Thesta: To be honest with you, I don't either. (shrugs) Sounded like a good idea to me.

the hitokiri battousai himura: Heh. Me too. In the guide I've got though it says that he's a dragon. Go fig.

Larka the White Wolf: I'm glad you said that because that'll pretty much who you're going to see in the next couple of chapters. The world's gonna go to hell in a handbasket, but the two of them are going to have their own problems. Muhahahaha!

Row: Yeah, you would think that and that would make sense but you have to rememeber that he was kinda busy at the time. Aside of that one time where he was focusing on them, he really didn't have time to keep an ear out for Kagome or the other humans. Fighing a field full of youkai and monsters will do that to you I guess. lol.

Konton: Yeah, I saw that. I think everything's caught up at A Single Spark but you never can tell. Oh man, that sucks for you. You've gotta be mad about that. I did that one time with my Legend of Dragoon game and thought I would freak. Man, I feel your pain. As far as Shippou, um...yes and no. It's kinda like her crush on Inuyasha in this story, except she's not mean to him. I've got someone in mind for him though, so don't worry. Yup, I finished the game. I think I kicked the end boss with a 83 level. I never get to level 99 unless I've got a game shark or a cheat code or something. My patience just sucks like that. lol. Thanks for the review.

Dark Neko-chan: I don't know what to tell the girl. I've got some dark, sinister things planned for her and the rest of the world. Oh well. Muhahahahah!

Nayonna: I'm updating as soon as I possibly can. The monsters Sesshoumaru were fighting are ones from the game and the youkai are Naraku's lower level youkai from the anime series. Kagome didn't summon her GF because of how big it is. In the story, GFs aren't normally used against humans unless it's a special cursumstance, like in this chapter. In the game, GFs are said to create a space somewhere in your head so they have a direct link to you. Let me know if I missed anything and don't hesitate to keep asking questions. I just love questions.

Drianax: You know what? I saw that and I corrected it. Let me know if it didn't go through and I'll do it again. It's supposed to be that Kagome comes up to Sesshoumaru's chest, since she's her height and he's like 7'. Yeah, so sorry about that. Didn't mean to screw that up so badly. Sango's 5'4", Shippou's 5' 11", Miroku's the same and Inuyasha's 6'2". Kagome didn't get her first GF (Diablos) until she became 16 (which was the 4th year of her weapons training). Kagome was sent away for a different reason.

beautifulsilentdeath: lol. Hey, I didn't notice that! You're right! That's my fave movie too.

Shabopo: You're not the first person to say that. lol. I'm glad to prove you wrong though. I really like this story. It's my current obsession. Hopefully it won't last long. lol. The typos, grammer and stuff is because of my beta, who does such a great job. The feelings and stuff...I'm getting ready to kick that into gear in a few chapters. No worries though, cause there still won't be any 'I love you's until the very end of the story. I want the love to show for once, not be spoken. It's goig to be hard, so wish me luck. Oh, and your story is starting to become another obsession of mine. I read the newest chapter a few nights ago and just wanted to pummel Sesshoumaru. That's a rare thing for me. lol. Keep up the great work!

angel16: I can't tell you what's happening to Kagome just yet, but it'll come soon enough. Kagome only has two GFs, and she's had Diablos since chapter four or five.

LtSonya: Yeah, I know. Poor Ship. Don't worry about him though. I've got a love interest planned for him. I really don't want to rush the romance between them, but it's coming all the same. It'll make sense though. I know! I saw that! It's so cool! I never knew so many people played the game until I started this. There are a lot of reviews about it on the board. I don't mind though. It's so cool to know that others like the same things I do.

sakurakitsune14: So the spells and stuff are on that game too? I've thought about playing that game, but I can't make myself buy it. My sister's already drowning in FFX-2, It's bad. She's singing the songs and everything. lol. Oh, but thanks for the review!

Hyo-Neko: That's not a bad idea. I could see Paine working a SeeD uniform. Oh, and there will be dresspheres in this story...but they won't be named that. Um...I tell you what? Just look out for it. If I try explaining it'll totally screw it up. lol. You'll see. :)

Wake-Robin: Can't tell you yet. It's one of the secrets of the fic. Don't worry though. It'll come out soon.

SkyBlueSunShine: Heh. Thanks. My beta and I work on the quality like crazed chipmunks. Yeah, the last chapter was longer than this one. It won't be the last long chapter, because the next few chapters from now on are planned for length as well.

tokia:Yeah, you do. Shippou's feelings are deeper than that Sister/Brother thing Kagome thinks they have. It doesn't explain the marks on their arms though. (stagehand whispers something) Oh, I haven't said anything about that yet? Oh dear. Oh well then. lol. Oh, but it's good to see you. Glad your stuff's working again.

xSilverShadowsx: The black cloud was what Diablos was using to protect her. In the game, his attack is a giant black ball of ...something evil. He let's it collect in his right hand, then throws it toward your enemy. The white ball of light is how (in this story at least) you get a GF. In the game you Draw most of the new ones. I didn't think the Draw system would fit here so I replaced it with this one. Besides, when you draw new things, it looks like little balls of light anyway.

Yume no Zencho: Yeah, Inu's a butt but he's going to learn his lesson. He'll be a lot nicer the next time Kagome sees him. Oh, um...Let's see. Sango's are Quezacotl and Carbuncle, Shippou's are Jumbo Cactus and the Brothers, Miroku's are Leviathan and Pandamona, Inuyasha's got Ifriti and the Toneberry King, and Sesshoumaru's are Bahamut, Shiva and Doomtrain. There's no Tenseiga in this, but I do have a plan for the soldiers.

Rising Wind Tiger: I suppose so. I ran your question over my beta (who was in the military) and from what she says its fine. (shrugs) Got to go with the beta since she's helping out and all that. I fixed the height thing already, so hopefully that's showing up. You weren't the only one to ask that question. Sorry about that. I'm used to writing her as 5' 2", so adding a few more inches is screwing with me. Heh. Thanks a lot though for pointing that out.

Skitzoflame: lol. Me too.

Mistress Fluffy: I won't lie: Nooj beat me down for at least two days. I finally had to stop and do something else. By that time, I forgot to frigging go back until I was in the middle of the Farplane. lol. You need to buy a new chair by the way. Yup, Sesshou was in inu form. I wondered if that came out as clear as I wanted it to. I don't think it did. Yup, from now on there'll be lots of arguing and fluff between our fave couple. Hey, no prob!

sessywuver: Picture links...sure. Just let me know in an email what you want pictures of and your email address.


	10. Down the Rabbit Hole

Disclaimer: No, I don't own it. I wish I did though. Heh, oh yeah! Somebody asked what the little mistake was in the last chapter. Well, it's more of a game technicality, but it's there all the same. I will give a hint though: It's at the beginning of the chapter and it's got something to do with someone's weapon.

Chapter Ten: Down the Rabbit Hole

I

Shippou bolted out of bed, emerald eyes glazed over in fright as he struggled to calm his quick breaths. He clinched his chest to stop his racing heart, his claws lightly digging into the unprotected flesh underneath. He glanced down at the blood that dribbled down his naked chest and sighed, extracted his claws and allowed the little half moons to heal as he pondered over the night past.

He didn't normally dream, so it was a real surprise when this one surfaced in his mind. He couldn't see anything except pitch black darkness but he felt a wide range of emotions. The first was pride and triumph, something he hadn't felt since he and Kagome started kickboxing so many years before. Those feelings faded to bashfulness and anxiety, again something he recognized as being a feeling he normally experienced around the outspoken and affectionate human. He thought he was dreaming of her and it was quite a pleasant one until fear and adrenaline shot through his system. His heartbeat quickened and he cried out when a sharp pain shot up his right leg before the chirping of birds and the brightness of the sunlight streaming through his window broke through his dream. Shippou ran a shaking hand through his shoulder length auburn locks and sighed.

'What the hell was that?' he asked himself as he stood up and allowed the bedclothes to fall from his frame. He righted the blue Garden issue boxers that were severely twisted around his waist and made his bed. 'It's like the dream wasn't mine, but someone else's. And my arm...' He frowned down at the long scar on his right arm. 'It's itching like crazy. Something might be wrong with Ka-'

"Shippou!" Sango called as she banged on his door. "Hey Shippou! Wake up already!"

"I'm up!" Shippou shouted back. "Jeez, don't kick down my door Sango!"

"Then open it! Miroku and I are waiting for you!"

"Waiting for me..." Shippou repeated to himself while he scurried around for something quick to put on. He grasped a pair of light gray sweat pants and a hooded sweat shirt to match before sliding his feet into a pair of sandals and throwing the door open. He groaned at the lump in the door and frowned at Sango, who gave him her most innocent smile and batted her lashes. "What are you guys doing here so early?" Shippou demanded irritably.

"Oooooo," Sango teased as she and Miroku came inside. "Someone woke on the wrong side of the bed this morning."

"Please forgive Sango," Miroku said as he guided her to a nearby chair. "She had something incredibly sweet this morning, in spite of my objections."

"Oh, well she'll be like that for a while," Shippou joked with his first smile for the day. He moved to shut the door behind them when Sango stood up and shoved him and Miroku out of the room and down the hallway.

"We can't stay, remember?" Sango said as the other two protested. "The SAD is coming online today!"

"The wh-oh," Shippou groaned. 'How could I have forgotten? I practically helped the SeeD committee build it.'

SAD stood for SeeD Activation Display, three large holographic screens that were mounted high above the directory in the commons circle. It'd taken Shippou and thirteen other technicians from all three Gardens four months to piece it together, program it and the internet link-up that would keep the display current without constant manual data entry. It was Shippou's pride and joy, and he'd forgotten it all because of some stupid dream.

"Look, there it is!" Sango gasped as they stopped in front of the screens. One screen faced the right side of the commons, one side faced the left while the one in the middle faced toward the directory itself and the front gate. Students and SeeDs from all three Gardens waited as the Garden staff turned it on. The symbols for the three Gardens lit up in the middle of the screens, then faded before the first list of names began to scroll up the screen.

"Hey, what's goin' on?" Inuyasha called as he walked up, Kikyou coming from the opposite side of the commons circle. "Woah, they got this thing runnin' huh? Nice..."

"Yeah," Kikyou huffed, a Cinna-bun still in her hand as she gasped to catch her breath. "Great job Shippou. Kagome's gonna freak when she gets back."

"Ah, it's nothin'," Shippou blushed. He stuffed his hands in his jacket pocket and glanced to the side when the others laughed. "Seriously though guys, it wasn't just me. There were a lot of other guys involved in this."

"Yeah well we don't know them," Sango laughed. "So great going -"

"Hey Shipp," Inuyasha interrupted as he pointed toward the screens. "Looks like you've got a glitch already."

"Huh?" Shippou grunted angrily. He should have known Inuyasha would have something to say. "What now Inuyasha?"

"I'm just saying, you've got a glitch in the system. See, right there?" Inuyasha pointed again. "They've misspelled somebody's name. Sesshoumaru and I are the only Endo's in the Gardens."

"I don't think that's a spelling error Inuyasha," Miroku said before walking toward the directory. "Shippou, how do you work this thing?"

"I'll do it." Miroku stepped aside and the others gathered around him as Shippou brought up a new screen on the directory. "Don't worry Miroku. I'm sure it's some kind of mistake." He typed Inuyasha's last name, stepped back

and waited for the 'ERROR!' message to flash on the screens overhead. The screen in the middle rewound itself instead, highlighted a single name and magnified it.

Captain Sesshoumaru Kenshii Endo: G. Class D Spe. Rnk 29 AP Rnk 13 En Tec 5-MIA

"No," Shippou whispered as the others gaped in disbelief. "It can't be. If Sesshoumaru's missing, then Kagome..."

"Then Kagome's missing too right?" Sango shrieked as she and Kikyou hugged each other. "But that's not possible..is it?"

"No, it's not," Inuyasha growled. "It's bullshit. It's some mistake! Shippou? Shippou!" Inuyasha called as Shippou returned to the keyboard. "What are you doing?"

"It's not possible," Shippou whispered to himself, completely ignorant of Inuyasha's presence as he furiously banged on the keys. "No, Kagome's fine, she's safe. There's another Endo or a spelling error or something. It's just not-"

Private First Class Kagome Aurora Higurashi: G. Class A Spe. Rnk 19 Neg/CR-MIA

"We gotta go find the headmaster," Inuyasha breathed before storming toward the elevator. Everyone but Shippou got on, leaving the shell-shocked kitsune to stare helplessly at the screen and the name in front of him. "No," he whispered when he finally turned away from the SAD. "No, it's wrong. It's wrong!" He fled from the commons area toward the infirmary, his instincts guiding him through the crowd of students and SeeDs. He burst into the infirmary, his heavy breaths and wild appearance startling Dr. Kadowaki and Squall as they studied something on the doctor's desk..

"Shippou, what is it?" Dr. Kadowaki asked as Shippou's heavy pants filled the room. "What's wrong child? You don't look we-"

"Is it true?" Shippou demanded, his eyes locking with Squall's the moment he looked up. Dr. Kadowaki looked confused. "Dear, is what true? What's the matter?"

"Is it true Headmaster?" Shippou pleaded. "Please, I have to know. What happened to Kagome and Sesshoumaru?"

"I don't think I should discuss this with you without Kagome's family's permission," Squall told him, only to have Shippou's scarred forearm shoved in his face.

"Kagome and I are family. We performed a Blood Bond four years after coming to the Garden."

Squall sighed heavily, the weight of what he was about to tell him heavy on his shoulders. "I suppose so then. Shippou...We received two transmissions from the Ragnarok on Tuesday afternoon. One was at 1600 hours, and it was a notification about Kagome's new rank as Gunner." He waited as Inuyasha and the others filed into the room, Inuyasha having followed Shippou's scent to the infirmary. Dr. Kadowaki closed the door behind Sango, who was the last to enter, before sitting down.

"The second," Squall continued. "Was at 1645. It was the Ragnarok's distress and self destruct signal. We haven't received anything else. I don't know what to say but...I'm sorry."

"Can't you guys just call her?" Kikyou asked. "I mean, you've got comphones right? Just call her and see where she is."

"Good idea Kik," Inuyasha said as he and the others flipped out their phones and pushed eight. The phone rang for what felt like forever before her answering machine came on. "See?" Shippou said after leaving a message and hanging up. "Kagome's fine."

"Or Kagome's phone is still on the Ragnaork ruins," Miroku said with a frown. "I'm sorry Shippou, but you know Kagome doesn't step three feet away from that thing unless it's an emergency."

"What are you planning to do sir?" Sango asked, her eyes already red and raw from holding back tears. "You are going to look for them, right?'

Squall nodded solemnly. "Orders and SeeDs have already been dispatched. The search party leaves in the morning."

"I want to go," Shippou told him and growled when Squall shook his head. "Why not? I can help find them! I should go!"

"We have youkai on the team already, so tracking them isn't going to be a problem. However...you must understand Shippou. If you, or any of you go, you'll be a liability. You're too close to the people that we're looking for. If we don't find them, or if we find them and they're dea-"

"NO!" Shippou bellowed suddenly. "Kagome's **NOT **dead! I won't hear it!" He bolted from the room before anyone could stop him, leaving the humans and hanyou behind to stare after him in shock.

"That's why," Squall said after a few minutes of silence. "That kind of violent behavior won't help them. You must understand, I know exactly what you're feeling right now and I'm not blaming you. You just-"

"We understand sir," Miroku replied. "We know you'll do everything to find them."

"I'm glad." Squall watched as they filed out, the girls already crying as the males with them struggled to calm them down. He and Dr. Kadowaki exchanged glances before he left her to her duties, a small file clasped tightly in his hands as he made his way toward the elevator. 'It's not that I don't sympathize with them,' he said as he boarded the elevator. 'But I can't spare them. I'm already stretched as it is with the recent requests for SeeDs. I just...I can't let them go when I know there are others out there that need them more and that the two they're willing to look for may already be lost.'

II

'Mmmmmm...'

Kagome sniffed and sneezed, then rubbed away the slight tickling at her nose. She grumbled something and rolled on her back as she rose from a deep sleep. 'Hot,' she griped slightly. 'What's going on? Why is it so hot?' She focused on the songs of birds around her and noticed that they were a lot closer than what she was used to. She opened her eyes slowly, then blinked as she stared into blue skies.

Kagome looked around, teal eyes blurry and confused as she tried to gather her bearings. A warm stiff wind blew behind her, lifting her hair and silky strands of white fur over her shoulder to flutter at her peripheral vision. She gently prodded the furry white mountain behind her, her fingers combing through the softness that encircled her from both sides and her back before noticing the thick white blanket draped over her legs. 'I wonder where Sesshoumaru found this from,' she thought as she snuggled back into the mountain. 'Hey, wait a sec.' She sat up finally and looked around, a slight panic rising in her chest. 'Where is he? He made it off the plane, didn't he?'

Kagome gently slapped her forehead. 'Duh Kagome, of course he made it. How do you think you got down here? Argh! Then where is he-' She glanced up at a rustling in a bush near her, her body falling still as the bush continued to shake and shiver violently. She reached for Junsei's handle and realized that the blanket over her was too heavy to quickly unsheath and wield the weapon before the danger arrived. Kagome released it and readied her magic supply, then relaxed as a little deer burst through the thicket and into the clearing.

'Oh, how cute,' Kagome thought with a smile as the deer walked closer to her. Despite the many deer at Balamb, this would be the first time Kagome had ever seen a deer so closely. The shy creature's fur was a caramel brown, with snowy bits speckled along it's left flank and forehead. Kagome rested her hands on top of the blanket and steadied her breathing while allowing her aura and demeanor to elude gentleness as the deer came closer to her. She reached up to touch it's forehead when it finally reached her and allowed it to sniff her hands. It stiffened at first, then relaxed as she softly petted the wild creature.

The bush behind it shook again, this time noiselessly while Kagome spoke softly to the deer. It's ears flicked toward her, the longer soft pale hairs that sprouted from the tips swaying in the passing breeze. The bush shuddered again, this time with Kagome's notice as she glanced over the deer's head. Once again she prepared herself, only to stop as a bright red line flared around her. The light faded just as a creature jumped out of the bush and attacked. Kagome gasped and the deer attempted to flee, but couldn't get over the glowing red line that still surrounded them. She glanced from the deer to the monster and noticed that it couldn't get over the line either. It beat on the invisible wall surrounding them with its tentacles, then would flip over and try to assault the barrier with magic spells. "What on Spira _is _that?" she asked aloud and jumped when the answer she received came from an unlikely place.

'It's a Jellyeye,' a voice in her mind whispered as the monster continued it's attempt to break through. 'They're common on the Centra Plains.'

"Huh?" Kagome mumbled and quickly glanced around. "Sesshoumaru?"

'Yes?'

"Where...are you?"

'I'm...close.'

"Oh, um...ok then." Kagome shrugged and began to take off her coat. "It's so hot here. Where are we?"

'I'm not entirely sure,' was his answer. 'Keep your jacket close by.'

"Why?" Kagome asked. "It's not like I'm going to need it. I have no real intentions of losing it anyway."

'No, you don't need it now,' Sesshoumaru agreed with what felt like a mental sigh to Kagome. 'Have you studied the temperatures in the Centra continents?'

"Um...no-"

'It's 1 o' clock now. The temperature will continue to rise until 4, where it will stay at a constant 100 degrees before falling as the sun sets. Once that happens, the temperature will fall to at least 30 or 40 degrees. So keep your jacket close by.'

"What about you?" Kagome asked as she balled her jacket at her side. "Don't you need a coat or something?"

'I have ways of keeping warm.'

"Where are you?" Kagome asked again. "Why are you hiding?"

'I'm not hiding,' Sesshoumaru growled, instantly affronted by such a suggestion.

"Then why can't I see you?" She heard him sigh then, and the mountain behind her moved. She glanced back at it, but paid it no attention as Sesshoumaru relented.

'Fine,' he growled. 'But do not scream.'

"Now why would I s-" She stopped when the mountain moved again, this time with the blanket over her shifting as well. She glanced to her left and realized that her bedding and mountain was actually the side of a giant dog as it's great head appeared. Large crimson eyes stared down at her as it nudged her with it's nose, the sage green irises in the middle watching her as she gaped. "Se...Sesshoumaru?"

The dog nodded, growled lightly and lowered its head back to it's right paw.

"OK," Kagome mumbled, then grinned. "Hey, you're kinda cute like this!" She grabbed the nearest ear and petted what she could of it. Sesshoumaru rolled his eyes at her but held still, her gentle scratching almost soothing. "How long have you been like this?" Kagome asked and grumbled at his dubious look. "No, I know you were born this way. What I meant was how long have you been in this form?"

'For two days, counting today,' Sesshoumaru told her. 'You have been unconscious for 24 hours.'

"Woah, seriously?" Kagome whispered as she continued to scratch his ear. "Man, what happened? Did the Ragnarok blow up?"

'No, not exactly. Esthar deems its technology too important to allow detonation. Instead, the self destruct wipes the computer's motherboard clean.'

"And without the motherboard the ship wouldn't fly, right?" Kagome asked. He nodded and closed his eyes. 'How is your leg?' he asked next. His eyes snapped open at her gasp and glanced into her abnormally pale face. 'What is it?' he asked.

"I wish you hadn't said anything," Kagome breathed. "Cause now it hurts. I didn't notice it before."

'If that isn't just like a human,' he grumbled in mild disgust. 'Or maybe it's just like you.'

"Hey, it's not my fault!" Kagome nearly shouted. "I didn't mean to trip up on the door _you melted!_"

'Then I suppose you would have liked to remain on the ship then?' Sesshoumaru countered and growled when she blushed. 'How bad is it? Allow me to see.' He moved her 'blanket', which turned out to be a bit of his tail, off of her lap so she could take off her right shoe. She grimaced at the thigh-height rip in her skirt, bemoaning the ruining of her only skirt before struggling with her shoe. She bit back tears as she tugged it off, plopped it onto her jacket and winced at her puffed and swollen ankle. "Oh, that's just great," she mumbled and flopped back against Sesshoumaru's side.

'It will need to be wrapped,' Sesshoumaru told her as he returned his tail to her lap. 'Do you have any gauze inside that train case of yours?'

"Nope," Kagome shook her head. "I can't ever get a first aid kit and my ammo inside. We're stuck. My comphone was inside my other bag too. Oh well..."

'We will have to use my shirt then,' he told her. 'You will have to wait until tomorrow. It can't be helped.'

"Why until tomorrow?" Kagome wondered. "Can't you just change back into your other form?"

'No, not right now.'

"Why not?"

Sesshoumaru sight aloud this time, his irritation at her constant questions plain even in his inu form. 'Because you are not the only one injured,' he growled testily. 'I am in this form so I can heal faster.'

"You're hurt?" Kagome gasped, having latched on to that one fact and ignoring the rest. "Where? What happened?"

'My left arm is healing,' he told her, deciding to leave out the gory details for another time. 'I shall be fine by this time tomorrow.'

"Are you sure?" Kagome asked as she rose to her knees and dug inside a little pack attached to her holster. "Because I have three Mega-potions if you want one."

'Where did you find Mega-potions?' he asked as she pulled something free. 'Besides, you know that potions don't heal the injuries.'

"Yeah, but it'll help with the pain. Come on Sesshoumaru." She held up a pair of vials and waved them in front of him, the mint green liquid inside sloshing against the plastic sides and cork top. "Please? We both should take it."

'Fine,' he relented once again. He opened his mouth and allowed her to pour the liquid inside, his tongue numbing slightly as he fought back a grimace. 'We will remain here until tomorrow. Is that understood?'

"Yeah, whatever," Kagome yawned. She closed her eyes and laid back against his side. "I don't want to move anyway. Potions always make me (yaaawwwnnn) sleepy." She closed her eyes, green orbs secreted away from the rest of the world as her breathing slowed and she slipped into darkness. Sesshoumaru soon followed her lead, the red barrier ring he erected firmly in place as he dreamed and planned a way back to civilization.

III

Sesshoumaru walked ahead of her, his back constantly to the frustrated human behind him as he struggled to sniff out a land mark that could help them. They were three days into their search, five days since the crash and Sesshoumaru's graceless trip back to the ground. He remembered waking up hours after that unfortunate fall, his eyes bleary as he struggled toward consciousness. An agony in his arm brought him back to awareness quickly and crimson eyes stared down at his injured left arm. He was still in his youkai form, which was no surprise since the bones in his arm were shattered in four different places. Bloody white spikes piercing his fur moved when he attempted to walk, so he honestly had no choice but to sit and wait for it to heal.

Sesshoumaru rotated it absently, the joint and certain parts still tender as he remained focused on his goal-

"Hey, where are we huh? You haven't said a word all day."

Or would have been, if it weren't for asinine questions of his companion.

"For the third time since this morning," Sesshoumaru growled, a single clawed digit pressed against the middle of his forehead where a splintering headache was beginning. "I don't know. Stop asking the same question and be quiet."

"I'm sorry," Kagome snapped back as she stumbled along behind him. "But you haven't said anything in like, five hours! I'm starting to go crazy back here!"

"Starting," her companion quipped snidely as continued on. Kagome sighed in frustration, balled her fists and stopped right where she stood. She waited, her arms folded tightly against her chest, for him to notice her then cleared her throat when he seemed to ignore her.

"Fine," Sesshoumaru relented when he turned around at her fifth 'a-hem!'. "What is it? What could you _possibly_ want to talk about now?"

"For one-"

"Oh goody," Sesshoumaru interrupted sarcastically. "There's more than one. What joy."

"Do you know where we are?" Kagome half growled, her irritation plain despite her attempts to ignore him. Sesshoumaru huffed, actually rolled his eyes and replied, "Of course I know where we are. I just enjoy walking around in circles for the fun of it. Gods, you are infuriating."

"I take it that means no," Kagome replied thoughtfully, this attempt to ignore him successful as she tried to think of another solution. "OK, what about that cloud-thingy?"

"What cloud-thingy?" Sesshoumaru asked, though he inwardly wondered why he bothered. She was distracting him from the task at hand...but if he had to be honest with himself, he found her a distraction even when she was quiet, which were rare incidents indeed. She refused his help when he offered to carry her, walking right past him when he kneeled and waited for her to climb onto his back. She limped along behind him and after a few minutes of trying to convince her otherwise he finally shrugged and allowed her to do as she wished. She was constantly humming something, or fiddling around with the flora around them so carelessly to the point where he wondered if she suffered some sort of head injury. She didn't seem worried about their situation and if he had a link to her innermost thoughts he would have found that, in spite of his rude behavior and aloofness, she believed without a doubt that he would be able to get them home.

After all, nothing was to hard for the great Captain Sesshoumaru Endo, now was it?

"That cloud-thingy," Kagome said as she gestured toward his feet. "You know, that little white cloud that you use to fly on. What about that?"

"That would work..." Sesshoumaru pondered the idea a moment, then shook his head. "No. That would be a possibility had I not been injured. Most of my youki was spent healing myself. I don't have enough for my nimbus and it will take quite some time to replenish it."

"Oh. Oh crud." She snapped her fingers and frowned. "Well, at least I tried."

"Yes, you did now can we please move on?" Sesshoumaru replied before turning on his heel and going to opposite way. "We have a lot of ground to cover and-"

"What makes you so sure you're going the right way?" Kagome interrupted. Sesshoumaru froze in place and growled, his frustration and aggravation clear on the afternoon air. "I mean," Kagome continued when he finally turned to face her. "We've been going this way for days. What makes you think this is the right way?"

"Woman, why must you question me?" Sesshoumaru demanded calmly. "Is it too much for your little mind to simply follow me and keep your lips sealed?"

"Hey, you can't talk to me like that!" Kagome shouted in outrage. "I'm not some simple woman and yes, I **_do_** have a problem with following you without knowing what's going on! What makes you so sure it's that way anyway?"

"Because there is nothing north of us," Sesshoumaru told her. "And the west harbors a deserted ruin."

"How do you know that?" Kagome asked. "You never said anything about a ruin."

"We're on one of the Northern Centra continents," Sesshoumaru replied. "We are on the one with the Centra Crater. I am following the scent of sea water. There is a beach ahead that will give us easy access to the Southern Centra continent and our prime mission objective."

"You're still worried about the mission?" Kagome gaped. "But-but-"

"No matter what has befallen us Kagome, we will carry out our mission," Sesshoumaru told her. "You now know everything I do. Now come on because I will not hesitate to leave you."

"But Sesshoumaru!" Kagome shouted as she hobbled to catch up with him. "What about the-eek!"

Sesshoumaru sighed and lightly slapped his forehead, an action he immediately regretted when a piercing white light and a flash of pain sizzled behind his eyes. 'I swear, does that woman not know how to keep herself out of trouble?' He turned and found her gone, no sign of her anywhere near himself or the various patches of green surrounding him.

"Kagome?" he called as he retraced his steps. "Kagome, where are you? I'm in no mood for games."

"Hey! Right here!" Sesshoumaru glanced to his left and right then wondered if he imagined it when she called for him again. "Hey, down here! Look down!" Sesshoumaru did as he was asked and stared before a smirk began to grow on his features. Kagome peered up at him, her bottle green eyes frightened as she hung on to the edges of the hole she managed to fall through. "Hey, do you think you could get me out of here?"

Kagome scowled when, instead of offering her his hand or just lifting her out, Sesshoumaru sat down in front of her on the edge of the hole, the wind breezing through the remains of his white button up shirt as he stared down at her with humored eyes. "What's so funny?" she demanded when he smirked.

"Oh, not a thing," he assured her before touching one of her fingers. "So, do you need help?"

"Look, this isn't funny," Kagome growled as he continued to sit there. "I'm slipping and I can't see the bottom. This hole is really dark and I don't think it'll be a good thing for me to fall into it."

"I'm sure it wouldn't be," Sesshoumaru agreed before propping himself up on his arms to lean back and gaze up into the clear blue sky. Kagome waited as he stared into the heavens above them. "Hey! What're you doing? I said I was slipping?"

"But you didn't say you needed any help," Sesshoumaru responded with a fake yawn. He found himself enjoying the childish game he was playing, figuring to have a little more fun with his companion before lifting her to safety. "And if I remember correctly, you've told me more than once that you don't need any help."

"Oh come **ON**!" Kagome shouted, her echo scattering across the empty desert. "Can't you give me a break? I'm seriously slipping!"

"I doubt that," he replied with another yawn. He laid down and stretched himself out on the ground beside her, his face coming parallel to hers as she glared at him. "I think this would be the perfect opportunity to rest, wouldn't you?"

"Sesshoumaru, I'm serious," Kagome said as she floundered on the unstable ledge. "I'm going to fall!"

"No, you won't," Sesshoumaru told her, his eyes closed and his hands clasped behind his head. "You're holding on perfectly fine from what I can s-" He opened his eyes to stare at her and found nothing, her fingertips gone from the edge and the eyes that had glared at him so angrily had disappeared. He jumped up and into the hole without a second thought, completely unaware of the earthen colored piece of metal that slid back into place at his descent.

(End chapter)

SF: Heh. That's it for today people. I know, this chapter was relatively shorter than the others. I'm not sure why.

Inu-chan: Because she's lazy! Believe me people, this chick hasn't done shi-

**ZAP!**

SF: Ahhhh, I feel better. Anyway, that's it for that chapter. No worries, because the next chapter starts off right where this one ended. Hey, who's doing the soliloquy today?

Shippou: Can I do it? Huh, can I? Please...!

SF: No, sorry little man. I think I'm going to get...Sesshou to do it this time!

Sesshou: No (gapes when SF's fingers start to glow) Alright, alright. Where's the script? Ah, here it is. (Clears throat) We've been stuck here for days, not that that's a problem for me. I can always hunt for my food and survive off what little water we find. My human companion..._Kagome_ is not so fortunate. From what I've heard, humans cannot survive for long stints without food and water. This hole presents us with no answers and, with no way back to the surface, there may just be a chance that we've buried ourselves alive down here.

Next-Chapter Eleven: Exploring their Quarters

(Responses)

Fanfiction

Okibi Usagi, Thesta, inudemoness247, kitt90, ChIbI rIn, Toko Inori, XxDarkFirexX, Gothic girl21, Duzzie, Ashika, Dragon Rae,Skitzoflame, sakurakitsune14, Wake-Robin, Kaichai, Kaoru4 and BlueMonkey89: Thanks for the reviews! Another chapter's on the way as soon as possible!

busoshwe: Believe it or not, I've beaten the game already. (FX-2) I'm replaying it because I managed to find a better stradegy than the first one I used, so I thought to go ahead and try for the good ending that I didn't get. Who what's the blah game ending anyway? Shame on them. Oh, Kagome and Sesshou are in for a lot of fun. There's lots planned for those two.

loseing-hope: Kagome was hurt trying to get through that door Sesshoumaru melted to get to the catwalk. A little piece of it was still intact, so when that last missle hit them she hit it and injured her ankle. Inuyasha isn't jealous per say, it's more like a brotherly thing. He's trying to look after her and he thinks that she's got a thing for his brother. He knows how Sesshoumaru is, but he doesn't know that Sesshou's not trying to mess with her, nor is Kagome interested in her in that way. He also has no idea how to relay his worry for her in a way other than violent and barberic. Don't worry. Inuyasha's due for some sensetivy classes shortly.

Kurama's Foxylady: Oh yeah. Dark Neko-chan's picures. Well, you could do one of two things. You could look on the A Single Spark website, (which has a lot of great fan art by the way) and search for it under my name. Or, you could go to Mediaminer. org and search for it under my fanart listing. Be sure to leave a review! She breaks her neck for these great drawing!

yasha the wolf lover: Ummmm...ok! A gunblade is kinda like a sword/ gun hybrid. It has a blade like a sword, with a gun wielded into the handle. Ok, that was a pretty bad description. I know! Dark Neko-chan actually drew Kagome's gunblade! If you want to see it (which might be a good idea since my des. sucked so badly) then go to Mediaminer. org and check underneath my penname for her picture.

baka-onna2003: lol Yes, ammo is present with them. They'll be fine, but they won't be in action for a while. As for them hooking up, you must give it time grasshopper. Good things don't come in one chapter you know? lol.

Strawberrylover Um, ok. I can see how you were confused. I'm not entirely sure about the target thing (I'm going to have to read the chapter over) but I think I can help with the crush and the mate. See, Inuyasha and Kikyou were mated without telling the others. That's what Kagome's so pissed off about and it's not that they mated, it's that they acted like it was some sort of huge secret that they didn't want the others to know about. No, Kikyou and Inuyasha being mated isn't really important to the story, but Kikyou herself is (gasp! snicker). And as for the crush, Kagome's crush on Inuyasha is over, but Inuyasha thinks that she might be crushing on Sesshoumaru. He knows how Sesshou's treated girls in the past and just doesn't want to see his little sister (that's what he thinks of her as) get hurt. Ok, so he was an ass about expressing that worry, but that's what it was. Hope that helped.

Shir Row: Ah, Shippou and Kagome's scars. (remember, Kagome had a similar scar in chapter five). A GF is a Guardian Force, and it's kinda like a youkai that implants it's essence into your mind so that you can call it to help you in battle. Do you really think Kagome's not human? I don't know. I think she is. You never can tell though.

Kagome: Hey, where have you been? I thought I would have to send a search party after you or something. Anyway, no Sesshou keeps his arm. I like him with them both, don't you? Thanks for the tail sympathy. (glares at stupid dog imprint on the moon) Oh, but good luck with catching up! There's a couple of new ones that are great!

LtSonya: Oh man, you're telling me. Shoo...Sometimes, to prepare to write a scene, I watch a really good action movie like Cradle 2 the Grave or something like that. I'm a HUGE Gary Daniels fan (Just ask my beta). Yeah, Sesshou's fight with that demon will be explained. I'm sorry to see it go too, but I have a secret. (leans in close) I plan on replacing it. NOT IMMEDIATELY mind you, but I do have an idea that I can't exactly go into details on. Though it hasn't been written (a part that's lacking on my end) Inuyasha has noticed what he believes is evidence of the two becoming closer. Sesshoumaru says her name now, where he once called her by her last or by her station. There was the Trabia incident when she helped him with his hair, and the last straw was her volunteering to go to Centra with him. It's not that he's mad at her about anything, it's just that he doesn't want to see her hurt by him. It's a big brother thing where he REALLY didn't explain himself well. That secrets part is the whole 'you like Sesshou' thing. Sorry about the confusion. Yeah, Kagome's temper is getting worse, but it's not what you think. See, the thing she's mad about is Kikyou and Inuyasha mating without telling Kagome or any of the others about it. Her feelings are hurt and instead of asking them (or Inuyasha) about it, she kinda takes her frustration out on the wall.

Dark Neko-chan: Hey, that reminded you of that movie too? lol! That's great! That's EXACTLY what I thought of! Oh, that bitch will be explained later on in the story.

sessywuver: I wish I could send them to you, but I can't. I don't keep them on my computer. They are posted on two different sites though. One is Winter's A Single Spark site and the others are posted on Mediaminer. org. Both are under my penname.

ReginaLucifer: Heh. I did forget to explain that didn't I? Oh wellz. Hopefully I'll remember the next time I post. (blush) Thanks so much for the love.

KyouFan: Nope, Sesshou keeps his arm. Trust me, he'll be fine. You'll see.

Elexies: I'm so glad you like it. I've been patiently waiting for you to resume your progress with Silver Angel and it's really cool to know that you enjoy something of mine (hopefully as much as I enjoy your stories). As for Kagome walking on her toes (blush) I'm glad you said that. See, I walk on my toes. My mother's fussed at me for years about it and I've never understood why. Thanks so much for telling me. As for Kagome...let's just say that normal human conditions don't exactly apply to her.

OOF: Ah, now that's something I can't tell you. Trust me, she's not anything you think she is. lol. You're going to be surprised. Thanks for the review!

Mistress Fluffy: I'm no NewGame Plus right now. I didn't get a few of the dresspheres (and still managed to miss the Mascot) but I've got everything else. No probs about the Fluffy pic. We all need a little Fluffy in our lives...or is that a fabric softener commercial? Oh well. (shrugs) Hey, the fluff starts in the next chapter so be ready with the pillow shams and stuff!

JoWashington: Oh, Kagome didn't do that. Kagome's main GF at the time was a black dragon/bat thing called Diablos. When whatever happened to Kagome happened, Diablos was summoned and he's the one that pretty much reaped on the Galbadia dudes. Nope, I don't think she's going to do it again, so she won't need his help to stop it.

Diodesa Yuy: (wince) Trust me, it was a wise decision. You'll see in a few chapters how good of an idea it was, ok?

Yume no Zencho: Nope. Believe it or not, Inuyasha's not even mad. He's a little frustrated cause he thought she was smarter than that, but he's just trying to protect her from his older brother and the way he treats the women he's been with. Kikyou is going to have an unfortunate time in this fic. The reason why they targeted her will be explained soon, but that's not all she has to worry about.

beautifulsilentdeath: It's not that Kagome hit a wall once...she KEEPS hitting it. She's upset, mad and frustrated and that's how she's handling it. Hey, I never said that it's the smartest thing for her to do. Her hand is what's injured in the first place, and she's not letting anyone do anything to it to help it heal.

aznchicki: You did? Then you're probably doing what I did when I got him (which was lay across the couch and stare at the ceiling in a traumatized state for a few moments) Have you tried to get Eden yet? It's in the same place and oh boy. That's a fight right there! Just GETTING to it is gonna be brutal. Hey, here's a hint: Get AS MANY Hi-Potions as you possibly can. Oh, Bahamut is Sesshou's GF, one of three that you get to see in this fic!


	11. Exploring their Quarters

Disclaimer: Yeah, I don't own it. Oh, and I'm really sorry about being away for so long. I've had the flu (or the croop if you ask my mother) and haven't been able to get near the computer for the past couple of days. Anyway, here's the newest update, one of the firsts since felling better.

Chapter Eleven: Exploring their Quarters

_Last time_:

"_Sesshoumaru, I'm serious," Kagome said as she floundered on the unstable ledge. "I'm going to fall!"_

"_No, you won't," Sesshoumaru told her, his eyes closed and his hands clasped behind his head. "You're holding on perfectly fine from what I can s-" He opened his eyes to stare at her and found nothing, her fingertips gone from the edge and the eyes that had glared at him so angrily had disappeared. He jumped up and into the hole without a second thought, completely unaware of the earthen colored piece of metal that slid back into place at his descent._

I

Black shrouded them and Sesshoumaru found that even he couldn't see in this ever pressing darkness. He struggled against it, his pupils dilated until only a thin rim of gold remained until he finally gave up, closed his eyes and called for Kagome as he continued to fall. Her response was shaky and soft, nothing like the screaming hysterics he was expecting.

"Are you alright?" he called next. A little laugh was his answer and her complaint of it being too dark to see.

"Can you see anything?" she asked.

"No, I can't."

"Sucks to be you then," she muttered before an 'oomph!' and a padded thump. Sesshoumaru opened his mouth to answer when the sound of cloth sliding against metal came before rows upon rows of blinding light blinded him. He shielded his eyes and regretted it when he landed on his front on a sort of spring pad. He fell from the pad to a giant slide that stretched several feet below them. "Are you ok?" Kagome asked from ahead of him. "You landed pretty hard back there."

"I'm fine," Sesshoumaru told her as he attempted to peer over the side of the slide. Kagome shifted herself so she wouldn't slide on her foot and glanced up at him, an expectant look on her face until she huffed and folded her arms across her chest. "I'm fine too Cap. Thanks for asking."

"I am aware of that," was Sesshoumaru's answer as they continued their downward descent. He ignored her irritation and glanced below them one last time, once again seeing nothing but darkness, before turning back to Kagome as she struggled to keep the remainders of her skirt from flying up.

"Don't look!" she cried out suddenly as she tugged on the tattered green fabric. "Gah, I just **knew** skirts were bad business!"

"Would you stop worrying about something so asinine," Sesshoumaru grumbled. "After all, there are more important things to worry about."

"Yeah? Like what!" Kagome demanded.

"For one, where we are. For two, where we're going."

"Oh, I can answer that," Kagome said confidently. Sesshoumaru quirked a disbelieving brow. "You can?"

"Sure. We're here and we're going down there." She pointed over the edge of the slide and grinned back at him. "So relax."

"Humans," Sesshoumaru grumbled as they continued their descent. After what felt like hours of sliding they soon came what felt like a leveling off when Kagome looked ahead of them and gasped. "Hey, is that a loop?"

Sesshoumaru looked forward and mentally groaned at the enormous loop that made up the next part of their path. He and Kagome began their way up the loop without another word, with Kagome completing the circle and continuing down the slide unscathed. Sesshoumaru managed to reach the middle and, whether it was due to not having enough speed or his weight, fell from the middle of the loop to land on his stomach directly in front of Kagome. She waved, one hand still fisted at the helm of her skirt before asking him how he was. He brushed her off and was launched from the slide into the empty abyss once again. Kagome's yelp of surprise let him know that she too suffered the same fate.

Sesshoumaru again landed hard, this time on his back hard enough to rip the air from his lungs. He gasped for air and lay motionless on the landing pad beneath him for a few moments and it was only when some air finally made it to the dark blood flowing through his system did something heavy land on top of him and cause it all to leave him once again.

Sesshoumaru groaned, his eyes squeezed shut due to the glaringly bright lights and brushed a few strands of hair out of his face. He opened his eyes when the object on top of him moved and actually had the decency to blush when he found himself staring directly at Kagome's jade green backside. He quickly averted his eyes to the broad silver cross embroidered on the back of her jacket. He waited for her to find her senses for a few moments before losing his patience and giving a 'gentle' tug on her ponytail.

"OWW! What the-" She turned and a blush immediately rose on her cheeks. "Oh wow," she muttered as she moved a hand to brace herself. "I wondered who's legs these were."

"Yes, I'm sure you did," Sesshoumaru growled slightly before bucking his hips. "Care to get off?"

"Am I heavy great youkai?" Kagome joked before climbing off him and taking a seat beside him. "Sorry about that by the way," she said as he sat up and dusted himself off. "If it's any comfort, Miroku would have loved that."

"No, it's not any comfort," Sesshoumaru grunted as he glanced above them. There was a roof above them instead of empty air, with no sign of the slide that brought them here from the surface. "Well, that's not exactly surprising," Sesshoumaru mumbled before he and Kagome turned to look behind them.

"Hey, but that is," Kagome said as she pointed toward a large metal door at the other end of the room. Small screens was embedded in the wall on either side of it, with the words 'Asankahlo Cramdan Ahdnyhla' inscribed above the door in large stamped letters. "What do you think that is?" Kagome asked as Sesshoumaru studied the scribe.

"I don't know," he told her. He paced in front of the metal door a few moments, his thoughts his own while Kagome looked on.

"Is it Latin?" Kagome offered.

Sesshoumaru shook his head.

"What about Greek?" She frowned when he shook his head again and turned toward the writing. 'Asankahlo Cramdan Ahdnyhla,' she whispered to herself while Sesshoumaru continued to pace. 'What does it mean...it's kinda familiar.' Kagome glared up at the foreign words intently, repeating the single phrase over and over again inside her mind.

'Asankahlo Cramdan Ahdnyhla...Asankahlo Cramdan Ahdnyhla...I know this, now what is it...Amergency...Emergency!' "Emergency!" Kagome exclaimed suddenly, startling Sesshoumaru as he walked past her and the door for the fifth time.

"Excuse me?" he said as she wobbled in front of the door in a sad attempt at a happy dance. "What was that?"

"The first word is Emergency!" she told him with a happy grin. "It's Emergency Shel...Shelter Entrance!"

"And just how do you know that?" Sesshoumaru asked as she hobbled toward the little screen on the right hand side of the door. "And if you can read it, then perhaps you know what language it is."

"Oh yeah, I can do that," Kagome told him as she read a little plaque beside the screen. "Its Al Bhed and I can read it because my parents taught it to me."

"You're parents taught you Al Bhed?" he commented while Kagome limped past him. "What are you doing?"

"The one on the right says Human, so I'll stand over here. You stand over there and let's do this."

"Do what?" Sesshoumarua asked. "What are we doing? What are _you_ doing?"

"Oh, I do need to explain don't I?" Kagome blushed when he nodded. "Yeah, I have a tendency to just run off at the mou-"

"Explain," Sesshoumaru interrupted before turning to the screen in front of him. "And be quick about it."

"Well excuse me," Kagome huffed. She crossed her arms in a huff and nearly toppled over, a tiny squeak escaping her lips as she grasped the wall to hold steady. She glared in his direction and sighed. "Like I said, my parents taught me Al Bhed. They're archeologists and they taught me the language before they taught me English. I don't know where we are, but I do know the language. That's good for something isn't it?"

"I suppose so," Sesshoumaru nodded. "But what are we doing now?"

"Like I said, yours is the youkai side and mine is the human side. The screens aren't screens, they're scanners." Kagome held up her right hand and wiggled her index finger. "You're supposed to prick your finger and put your hand on the scanner so it can analyze your blood."

"And how do you know that?" Sesshoumaru asked. Kagome tapped on another plaque beside her screen. "Says so right here Cap. What, you don't believe me?"

"Not particularly."

"Well fine then," Kagome huffed. "We can just sit out here and wait for...well, whatever. Or, we could try it my way and see what happens. Whatever you want to do you know."

Sesshoumaru growled in frustration, somehow able to see the common sense in her plan before nodding in agreement. "We prick our fingers and place our hands on the scanners right?"

"That's right," Kagome nodded as she reached toward her boot. She unsheathed a small dagger and pricked her finger, a hiss and a slight wince coming from her direction before she returned it to it's proper place in her sock and glanced at Sesshoumaru. He nodded and on the count of three they placed their hands on the scanner. Nothing happened for the first few minutes, then a blue laser lit up underneath their hands. A tiny beep went off somewhere inside the room and the scanner light died, leaving Sesshoumaru and Kagome to stare at each other in confusion.

"What now?" Sesshoumaru asked as Kagome limped toward him. "What happened?"

"Well, now the door opens," Kagome guessed, then shrugged. "I ...think." She jumped when hidden gears lurched to life and she and Sesshoumaru watched as the heavy metal door finally split down the middle and opened, the heavy groans and creaks of gears and pulleys long neglected echoing throughout the room. The doors finally creaked open completely and a thick cloud of dust rolled free from the room beyond. They peered inside, their foreheads nearly touching as they warily gazed into the dark room.

"Well," Kagome finally said after a long, deafening silence. "Let's go."

"Wait a moment," Sesshoumaru told her as he reached out for her wrist. "We have no idea what's beyond that dust cloud."

"Don't tell me your afraid?" Kagome teased and winced when a vicious growl was her answer. She turned back to look at him but found Sesshoumaru's gaze firmly fixed on the room ahead of them as the last of the dust disappeared and a bright light could be seen shining in the center of the room. "See, it's nothing," Kagome said as she shook herself free and stormed toward the doorway. Her good foot barely crossed the threshold before both her wrists were grabbed from behind and she was shoved against the nearby doorframe.

"Ow, what the-" She 'eeped!' and gasped in shock when Sesshoumaru's crimson gaze bore down on her, his claws digging into the fragile flesh on her arm and his knee firmly pinned against the doorframe between her legs. She realized that her feet no longer touched the ground and with her hands above her head and the youkai's weight firmly against her she hardly had room to protest the situation.

"You have a serious problem with listening," Sesshoumaru growled down at her, his slightly longer fangs protruding from between his lips. "I said to wait a moment."

"What are you all pissy for?" Kagome complained and gasped when his knee jerked her higher. "It's just a room! What could be in there that could hurt us?"

"I don't know and that's why I want you to wait. You are injured and are hardly capable of defending yourself, no less being of any help should there be something waiting in there with less than benevolent intentions."

"So you're protecting me?" Kagome quipped sarcastically. "Yeah right. Since when? Come off it Sesshoumaru."

"It would not be the first time now would it?" Sesshoumaru calmly replied. He inhaled deeply, a slight cough escaping him when he inhaled a bit of dust, and returned her to the terra firma beneath her. "Now," he began to her startled gaze. "You're to stay behind me at all times. If not, then you _will_ be carried. Understood?" He quirked a brow at her nod and continued into the room, his senses fully tuned into the unfamiliar space as Kagome hobbled along behind him. She gripped her train case tightly, her senses just as tuned into the rooms as her companion's even if hers were inferior.

Kagome's eyes lit on the small circle of light and she stepped in the middle of it while Sesshoumaru investigated the rest of the room. The floor jerked the moment he stepped into the circle, and they found themselves moving as Kagome stood up and brushed the dust from her jacket. "Well," she said as they continued upward toward the source of the light. "That was new."

"Quite," was Sesshoumaru's answer before looking over the edge of the platform. He turned when Kagome gasped and found her pale face and round green eyes staring back at him.

"Don't do that!" she prompted in a panic.

"Don't do what?"

"Lean over the edge like that! You might fall off!"

"I'm not afraid of falling off," Sesshoumaru told her. Kagome nervously chewed on her lip and shrugged. "Well I'm afraid. Don't do that...please?"

"If you insist." Sesshoumaru stepped back from the ledge, more for Kagome's sake than his own. They fell into a comfortable silence, the both of them determined to stay focused for what ever waited on the other side of the light as their 'elevator' continued on. Kagome glanced down at the tile beneath them and frowned at the words circling the outer rim of the platform. She followed the words, mouthing them to herself as she stayed a safe distance away from the edge and read the phrase.

"I think," she said after a few seconds. "I think I know where we are."

"You do?" Sesshoumaru said quickly. "How?"

"It's the words on the platform," Kagome said and gestured to the phrase surrounding them. "' Du updyeh cusadrehk, cusadrehk uv axiym jymia sicd pa mucd. Dric ec dra pymyhla uv axiejymahd aqlryhka.' To obtain something, something of equal value must be lost. Thus is the balance of equivalent exchange. It's the first law of alchemy."

"And..."

Kagome frowned at his dubious look and huffed. "OK, how far back are you in world history?"

"Woman," Sesshoumaru commented with a dry stare. "I'm youkai. We _are_ world history."

"Good," Kagome snapped angrily. "Then you'll know what I'm talking about. A hundred or so years ago, the world was divided into two groups, or religions. One was Yevon, and they believed in GFs and that machines were evil and shouldn't be used. The other was Al Bhed, and they believed the opposite, that machina where just machina and that anything man-made could be taken apart."

"Machina?" Sesshoumaru repeated. "That's a machine, correct?" 'Machina,' he repeated to himself. 'Why is that word so familiar...'

"Right," Kagome nodded. "Well anyway, at the time there was another set, a branch off of the Al Bhed that believed in alchemy. My parents said that a lot of their ruins were found on the Centra continents but I never thought we would fall into one."

"**You** fell into one," Sesshoumaru corrected and earned a scowl in return.

"Oh yeah?" Kagome countered angrily. "Well I wouldn't have fell if a certain _someone_ hadn't let me fall."

"That is old hat," Sesshoumaru decided with a mental smirk at her exasperation. "However, this is not. Do continue."

"Alright, jeez," Kagome complained. "You don't have to be so pushy. Anyway, like I said, one of the sects was into alchemy and science. They were the inventors and doctors of the time but they tended to isolate themselves away from the rest of the world. Hey Cap, you hear that?"

"Hear what?" Sesshoumaru strained his ears and finally heard what had drawn Kagome's attention. The gears operating the elevator were slowing, signaling that they would soon arrive at their intended (if unknown) destination. "We are almost there."

"Yeah, I know," Kagome said as she came to stand beside him. "What do we do once we're up there?"

"See if we can find a map, or a way out." He waited for the platform to stop before stepping off of it, the little lights embedded in the ceiling winking on the moment his boots touched the white tile beneath him, and began to make his way toward another door. This door, and the room around it, was an immaculate white with an engraving of a mammoth heart on the door's surface.

"Wow," Kagome breathed as the enormous door rolled to the side. "What do you think Cap?"

"I think I want you to stop calling me Cap," Sesshoumaru told her as they entered the pristine hallway. The corridor was just as white as the room connected to it, with various little screens and keypanels lined up against various white panels along their right hand side. The hallway curved slightly and had metal hand rails painted white along the left wall. Sesshoumaru walked ahead, his senses tuned in to what lay in front of him than behind.

"Hey, wait a sec," Kagome called from a little way behind him. Sesshoumaru turned and found her still beside the entrance door that was now closed and locked. She typed frantically on a small keypad and gestured toward a screen when Sesshoumaru finally came back for her.

"What did I say about keeping up?" Sesshoumaru asked her. Kagome gave him a flippant shrug and continued typing. "You never said anything about keeping up. You just said to...um...what **did** you say?"

"Never mind," Sesshoumaru sighed in aggravation. "What caught your attention?"

"This." She typed in a last command and gestured to the wall in front of him. A light blue hologram lit up on the white paneling, the display a map of some kind with foreign words printed on certain sections. The map itself was circular with a tiny red dot on the southwestern side.

"I take it this is a map," Sesshoumaru commented while Kagome typed on. "What does it say?"

"It says that we're here," she pointed toward the blinking red dot. "But my screen says a lot more. There are two floors available and-wait a second."

"What?" Sesshoumaru said as Kagome turned her attention toward her screen. "What is it?"

"From what our version of the map says, that wall-" She pointed over her shoulder toward the left wall. "Isn't supposed to be there."

"Then where did it come from?" he asked.

"It's a part of the security systems," Kagome answered. "It's a failsafe that turns this floor and the floor above us into a sort of shelter. According to this, the only way to get to the floors above or below us is to shut down the red alert that activated the lock down."

"So in other words, we're trapped down here?" Sesshoumaru guessed and nodded when Kagome did. "So what about the floor above us? Can you tell what's on it?"

"You mean, is anything living on it?" Kagome asked. Sesshoumaru nodded. "Nope, there's nothing breathing but us, or that's what the infa-red says on the scanner."

"Let me see it." Kagome punched in a command and another version of the map appeared in the hologram in front of him. This version was green, with two tiny bleeps that corresponded with the red dot on the first map. "Now for the floor above us." The screen shifted again and this time there were no bleeps or flashes on the screen. "Good. Anything else?"

"Um...yeah, actually." The infa-red screens disappeared, leaving the first map and another map behind. "These are the floor plans," Kagome explained. "According to these, we have access to the third and fourth floor. We're on the fourth floor. It's the only one with the outside emergency entrance."

"I see," Sesshoumaru commented. "And contents of the floors?"

"Um...this floor has five cabins, an infirmary and a gym. The next floor has a cafeteria, library and a control room, but this map says that the control room needs a password to gain access."

"I see." Sesshoumaru thought over this new information, the proverbial wheels turning inside his head as he came to a conclusion. "We will visit the infirmary first so that your ankle can receive proper treatment, then we will explore the available floors for supplies, ways of communication with the outside world, and provisions if possible. Any problems with that?"

"Nope," Kagome shook her head. "Sounds like a good idea to me."

"Then come." Kagome stepped away from the terminal and yelped when Sesshoumaru wound his tail around her waist and picked her up. "Hey!" she protested as he studied the map. "Just what do you think you're doing?"

"It will be quicker to move around if I do all the walking," Sesshoumaru told her before pointing to the map. "Now where is the infirmary?"

"It's the one that says Ehvensyno," Kagome pointed out. "Which is right in front of us, I think."

Sesshoumaru looked and sure enough, there was a little sign in Al Bhed above what he thought was another wall panel. "Quite," he muttered solemnly . He touched a small blue screen near the door and stepped inside with Kagome floating along inside his tail.

)-(

Twenty minutes later, two disgruntled SeeDs continued their journey toward the rest of the shelter. Kagome glared at the back of Sesshoumaru's head from her place inside his tail, angry beyond words as her ankle continued to throb at the abuse resulting from his 'bedside manner'.

"I don't see why you're so pissy," Kagome mumbled under her breath as Sesshoumaru walked on. "You're not the one that got her ankle re-twisted...thanks to you of course."

"That is true, but you are not the one with a bruise the size of your tiny little foot on his inner thigh now are you?" Sesshoumaru countered in just as foul a temper. "And you also aren't deaf in one ear."

"Well that's your fault," Kagome snipped. "Who told you to turn my ankle like that? It'll probably take longer to heal because of you!"

"Humans are so fragile," Sesshoumaru stated calmly. "Youkai are not nearly as weak and brittle."

"Then why are you acting all grippy about me kicking you?" Kagome pointed out. "I didn't kick anything important now did I? Nope, I sure didn't," Kagome answered before he could say anything. "So you'll still get to have little Sesshoumarus running around you someday..." Kagome grunted in dissatisfaction before adding, "I hope they worry the hell out of you too."

"I didn't know you cursed little gunner," Sesshoumaru teased as he stopped in front of the first of the five cabins. "How unladylike."

"Hey, what the-since when did you start calling me-Woah..." Kagome's mouth fell open, shock radiating from her to Sesshoumaru and back again as they stared at the room ahead of them. The word 'cabins' obviously meant bedrooms, with this one decorated in baby pinks, whites and little hints of gold. A white wrought iron bed was on the far left side of the room, with little gold knobs on the top of the posts. A white and pink quilted blanket lay across the full sized bed, with frilly lace peeking from underneath it and encircling the pillows. A small table and chair set was on the far right and with the white dresser, toy chest and vanity, the entire room looked like a little girl's paradise.

"It's so...pink," Kagome muttered as she gazed at the frilly pink canopy hanging above the bed, the pink and white fluffy carpet and the tiny rose tea set sitting on the table. "Do you think this was some kid's room?"

"Most likely," Sesshoumaru answered. "It is rather...frilly."

"And pink," Kagome added.

"And pristine."

"Fit for a princess..."

"It's horrid," they both said at once.

"Let's move on." Sesshoumaru closed the door and walked away, the slight tremor in his tail still vibrating Kagome's displeasure as they moved around the circle toward the next cabin. "You don't care for pink," he said more than asked as he raised his hand up to the blue scanner beside the next door. "That is rather...odd, for a female."

"Look, I'm not crazy about pink ok?" Kagome grumbled. "But you don't like it either."

"I do not like it because of a certain incident a few weeks before my Fire Cavern exam," Sesshoumaru replied with a glance at her from over his shoulder. "I'm sure you remember that, don't you?"

"If it makes you feel any better," Kagome said as the scanner ran over his hand. "I told Inuyasha to turn it blue instead. I just knew you'd be upset about pink hair."

"I'm sure you did," Sesshoumaru replied, then frowned at the scanner. "This one isn't working."

"Let me see it." Sesshoumaru moved his tail until she was hovering in front of the scanner and waited for her to scan her hand. "It's not opening for me either. Let's see why." She slid open a panel on the opposite end of the scanner and punched in a few commands before nodding her head. "Now I see...it's locked."

"From the inside?"

Kagome shook her head. "From the outside. From what it says, the person that occupied this cabin is away and the security lock is in place. So this is already someone's room."

"Then we shall press on," he told her. He walked along with Kagome trailing behind and a little above him like an oddly shaped furry kite before trying the next room. This one was locked as well, but the third cabin they came to wasn't. It opened to reveal a room decorated in blues and creams. The bed was in the middle this time with a blue quilt draped across a full sized sleigh bed made of light pine. There wasn't a dresser in this one, but there were drawers in the framing of the bed. A large pine clothes closet rested beside a door on the left side of the room matched the small coffee table in front of what looked to be a fireplace on the right side of the room.

Sesshoumaru ventured further, stopping briefly at a coat rack standing on the other side of the room entrance before standing on a small navy rug in the center of the room. "Wow," Kagome breathed as she peered over her shoulder. "It's not pretty, but it does have a certain...I don't know..."

"It looks like the Balamb Hotel," Sesshoumaru said replied. "But that isn't what you were going to say was it?"

"Not exactly no," Kagome said. "But you're right. It's got that country feeling, like Balamb. What's that?" she asked as she pointed toward the fireplace.

"It's a fireplace," Sesshoumaru told her. He frowned when she shook her head and began to struggle toward the fireplace. He raised his hand to stop her and approached the fireplace, allowing her to float along in front of him so she could reach the fireplace first. He stopped when her hands reached the fireplace and sat down in one of the two indigo recliners on either side of the coffee table while she worked.

"See?" she said after a few moments. "I told you this isn't a fireplace!"

"Well what is it?" Sesshoumaru said when he finally stood up. "Because that's what it looks like."

"It's a food processor."

"A...what?" Sesshoumaru asked as Kagome ran her fingers over the various buttons on the odd looking counter. Now that he was paying attention to it, it didn't look like a fireplace, but like a stovetop of some sort. It sat on a countertop with four glass panels with metal grates beneath them.

"I'm going to try something," Kagome told him seconds before pressing one of the small buttons. They watched as a set of lights began to blink on one side of the countertop, then gave each other a spare glance before one of the glass panels opened and an odd glass rose up on the grate beneath the panel.

"What is that?" Sesshoumaru asked as Kagome picked up the glass. Kagome held the glass up to the light and studied the liquid inside. Sesshoumaru waited patiently for whatever she searched for, then grabbed the glass when she raised it to her lips.

"What?" Kagome said when he took the glass from her. "What was that for? It's just water."

"It might not be pure to drink," he told her before he too inspected the glasses contents. "We know nothing of the filtration system here, if there is one to worry about."

"You're such a worrier," Kagome told him as she reached for the glass. "It's just water. What harm could it do?"

"It's a wonder you made it to seventeen," Sesshoumaru scolded. "Do you not know what impure water will do to your fragile little system?"

"Well you drink it then," Kagome replied. "If your so worried about me then you drink it. Your _superior_ system should keep you from getting sick, but I don't think you will anyway."

"Fine." Sesshoumaru took a cautious sip from the glass, then another before handing the glass to Kagome. "It is safe."

"Told you," Kagome retorted seconds before downing the entire glass. Sesshoumaru shook his head in disapproval as she set it back on the grate and pressed the button again.

"You're going to get sick," Sesshoumaru told her as she downed her second glass. "Show some restraint or I will do it for you."

"Yes Papa," Kagome griped as she returned the glass to the grate. "Jeez, you forget that humans need water and-" She blushed when her stomach growled. "And food. We're not meant to go long periods of time without it."

"This I'm aware of, but what makes you think that any food here would be safe to consume?" Sesshoumaru asked as she continued to fiddle around with the food processor.

"Because these are like the ones in Esthar," Kagome told him. "My brother's studying to be a f. p. technician, and he's told me a few things about these things."

"Like?"

"Like the fact that the food stored in them is automatically stored in cryo freezers," Kagome replied. "Water too. Souta said that food stored in the food processors' cryogenic chambers can last for eighty or so years. But I'm checking the state of the cryo freezers now." A tiny screen on the stove like top beeped, then beeped again before Kagome clapped her hands. "Yes! That's what I thought!"

"What now?" Sesshoumaru asked.

"The cryo chambers are still operational. According to this, there's enough risyh and tasuh food here to last an army six months."

"Risyh? Tasuh? You're forgetting that I don't know the language Kagome," Sesshoumaru reminded her. "Oh," Kagome blushed. "Oh yeah. Risyh is human and tasuh is youkai. Apparently there were youkai living here too. Anyway, the food's separated by designated food processors, so all we have to do is find the processor for you and we'll be set. But the ones in the chambers only have snack-like food."

"Then it is safe to assume that the cafeteria would hold the ones capable of meals and such," Sesshoumaru guessed. Kagome nodded. 'Yeah, I would say so."

"Then this room is yours," Sesshoumaru told her as he made his way toward the door on the left side of the room. "Wh-what?" Kagome stammered as he opened the door and glanced inside. "What are you talking about?"

"It's obvious that this room is meant to house and fulfill the needs of a ...risyh?"

"That's right," Kagome nodded. 'You're a fast learner Cap."

"Stop calling me that," Sesshoumaru growled testily. "It sounds inane."

"Do you have to use such big words?" Kagome asked as she too peered inside the small half bathroom. "Awwww," she grumbled. "There's no shower here. How are we supposed to get clean?"

"I believe you are expecting too much," Sesshoumaru told her as he closed the door and left the room. "We are lucky to have what we have. I am sure that luck will not last for much longer."

"Why are you such a pessimist?" Kagome asked as they approached the last cabin. "I mean, can't you just _hope_ that things will turn out good?"

"I'm a realist," Sesshoumaru replied before opening the door. "And the real truth is that we're incredibly lucky to have what we have. We should not complain about the things we don't have."

"Oh whatever," Kagome huffed. "I wasn't exactly complaining anyway."

Sesshoumaru moved to state the contrary when the door opened, revealing an enormous room dedicated to the study of black and silver. The large rounded futon on the right side of the room was large enough for Sesshoumaru in his inu form, with an actual desk and computer on the left side of the room. The floor was covered in black and silver pillows in various fabrics and textures. Sesshoumaru pushed a section of pillows aside and found a rug woven with the same color scheme.

"Well," Kagome said as they walked into the room. "There's no question who's room this is." She received no answer, so she shrugged and drank in more of the room. There were two doors in this room, one Kagome guessed to be the closet while the other was another half bath. The walls weren't the same white as the rest of the rooms, but a mural of what must have been the outside when the facility was built. Dark forests surrounded them and above them the painted branches gave way to blue sky and clouds. "This place is nice."

"I suppose so," Sesshoumaru commented nonchalantly. "Is that one of your processors?" he asked as he approached another stove-like countertop near the desk. Kagome nodded. "Yup. This one has tasuh on it so it's definitely for you. Um, Sesshoumaru?"

"Yes?"

"Could you put me down please? I don't feel right."

Sesshoumaru set her down gently, his concern shining in his eyes when she slumped into the desk chair. "What is it?" he asked. "What is wrong?"

"I'm just feeling a little drained, that's all." Kagome gave him a weak smile, the appearance of it weaker still by her rapidly paling face.

"You don't look right," Sesshoumaru told her. "What is wrong?"

"Gee, you're such a charmer," Kagome scolded with a half hearted laugh. "I'm fine. I'm just in a little pain, that's all."

"Your foot?" Sesshoumaru glanced down at the newly wrapped appendage and wondered if her ankle was really only sprained. He loosened the wrappings around it, snatched one of the pillows from the floor and used it to prop her foot on the desk.

"Hey, you didn't have to do that," Kagome told him. "I'll be fine."

"I'm sure you will be. However, I believe you should stay here."

"What?" Kagome exclaimed. "Why? What about-"

"There's nothing on this floor that could harm you," he interrupted. "So it is best if you stay here and rest. I will investigate the gymnasium and the rest of the next floor."

"Are you sure?" Kagome asked as he removed Junsei from it's temporary place around his waist and placed it on the desk. "I mean, you might need me to read something."

"I'm sure I'm capable of making my way around without you," Sesshoumaru told her as he approached the door. "I'm going to close this behind me, alright?"

"Yeah, sure," Kagome nodded uneasily. "If you want to." She looked up and found him smiling at her, one that was full of reassurance and confidence on her behalf. "You will be fine," he promised. Kagome found that it wasn't that she wanted to believe him; she _did_ believe him and after a moment's silence she returned his smile and nodded before he disappeared on the other side of the cold steel.

II

Kagome continued fiddling around with the food processor in Sesshoumaru's room, taking bits of tape and little slips of paper she found in the desk and using it to make English/ Al Bhed translations beside the various buttons. Sesshoumaru had returned after being gone for a couple of hours, his report on the rest of the facility as good as she expected. He told her about the vast space inside the gym and the locker rooms, both equipped with a shower though Sesshoumaru wasn't sure if the water pipes were still able to function. The cafeteria was as expected, with food processors for both youkai and human consumption. The library was left for another time and the control room was locked.

She glanced back at Sesshoumaru, who was sitting at the desk attempting to link the small computer in the room to the main controls...wherever the main controls happened to be. She watched him hastily wipe his hair away from his face, only to growl as it returned to his line of sight.

"Want some help?" Kagome asked as she sat down her paper, pencils, and tape beside them. "Anything you want me to read?"

Sesshoumaru glanced at her, then at the screen before pointing toward a bright red word in the middle of the screen. "What does that say?"

"Um...'Error'."

"Right," Sesshoumaru nodded. "I could have guessed that."

"Well the rest of it says something different. Could you clear the screen?" She watched as he pushed what they both thought served as a Delete button and waited for the red letters to leave the screen. Another screen popped up, this one with baby blue letters on a navy blue background. "Um, ok here goes. From what it says here, the reason why you keep getting that 'Error' screen is because you don't have a password."

"A password? For what?"

"For the food processor menu programs." She laughed when he groaned and dropped his head on the table. "It's ok Cap. You didn't know. How about I help you get to the right program...whatever program that is."

"Fine," he grumbled before lifting his head up and returning his hands to the keyboard. Kagome shook her head and suggested they switch places, leaving Sesshoumaru to tell her where to go while she typed out the commands. She taught him a little of the language as they searched, and together they found that the system Sesshoumaru was struggling to reach was on a different floor, protected by passwords and encryptions that couldn't be accessed though their terminal.

"Great," Sesshoumaru complained. "How much time have we wasted trying to do this?"

"At least an hour or so," Kagome said before glancing at her watch. "Or...maybe three. My watch says it's one in the morning."

Sesshoumaru sighed, rubbed the side of his nose and nudged her out of the seat. "You get some rest. I'll keep going."

"Are you sure?" Kagome asked as she hobbled toward the collection of throw pillows on the floor. "I mean, you're not exactly fluent in the language. You sure you can handle it by yourself?"

"I believe so," he said as he began typing. He looked up when Kagome continued to watch him, his eyes narrowed slightly before softening into a slight smirk. "I'll be fine little gunner. Go," he jerked his head toward the pillows and returned his eyes to the screen. "I'll be fine."

"Alright then," Kagome relented. She watched him a second longer before hobbling toward a nearby bookshelf. She ran her fingers along the spines of the books, blue-green eyes intently studying the numerous titles before finding one that looked interesting. "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy," she muttered as she hobbled toward the pillows and lowered herself onto the mass. "This should be interesting."

Kagome read while Sesshoumaru continued to search the systems, her little 'ooh's and 'ah's of enchantment distracting him from his work. He found himself thinking about the past couple of days and how luck just seemed to be twisted around this tiny slip of a near woman. 'Bad things just seem to turn out good around her,' he mused as he glanced from the computer screen to her prone form for the umteenth time. 'Well, as good as it could be with a sprained ankle, filthy clothes and with no idea how to get out of here. Still, there is edible food here, and water. I'm sure there's a way to get clean as well.'

'But what is this place?' Kagome wondered, her mind far away from the book in her hands as she rested her head on one of the gilded black pillows behind her. 'Why is everything here..._here_. I mean, how old is this place? Who built it? Where did it come from and-'

"You think too much," her companion told her from his seat. "And you're interrupting me."

"Well it's not my fault you were sneaking around my head," Kagome retorted and 'hmnh!'ed at his denial. She grumbled something about sneaky psychics and turned onto her right side, her right hand tucked underneath the pillow beneath her head with her left curled underneath her chin. She closed her eyes and was asleep within minutes, the rest of the day and it's hardships left in the waking world as the tapping of Sesshoumaru's claws continued against the little plastic keys.

He pulled away from the desk at three in the morning, his eyes tired from staring at the screen for so long without a break. He walked up to the food processor and, after a few moments of study with Kagome's notes, managed to get a glass of water from the little piece of ancient technology. He sat down beside Kagome and reached for the book that had fallen from her hands, read the cover of it and returned it to it's place on the bookshelf.

'An interesting choice,' he thought to himself as he finished the water. He returned the glass back to the processor and watched with interest as a little chute slid open beneath the glass. The glass fell through and disappeared, the grate covering it returning to it's rightful place. He raised an impressed eyebrow and turned away, his eyes scanning over the impressive room, surprised himself at the various findings deep within...wherever they were. He decided to leave the questions for another time and moved to a group of pillows beside Kagome.

Sesshoumaru arranged the pillows around him then glanced over and into Kagome's face. She was curled in a neat little ball, her hands still in the last place she left them as a gentle sigh escaped her lips. He watched her for a few moments longer, taking a moment to study the dirty face in front of him before vowing to find the showers and rolling onto his back. His eyes closed and he drifted off with one of his arms supporting his head. His left hand fell toward Kagome's knee, an involuntary twitch on his part bringing the two together as they both slept a sleep deeper than the hole they fell through.

(End chapter)

SF: Hey, this chapter was a bit longer, don't you guys think?

(Cast nods)

Sesshou: I would like to have a question answered.

SF: Shoot.

Sesshou: Why would you have that infernal female kick me with steel toed boots on?

SF: Honestly? (Sesshou nods) I needed a laugh and that was it. I'm really sorry about that.

Sesshou: (grumbles and walks away to get some ice)

Inu-chan: Couldn't have happened to a better bastard.

ZAP! 

SF: How many times do I have to tell you not to curse in front of the kids!

Inu-chan: Kids? What kids? (Shippou, Rin and Little Muse wave) Oh. Oh yeah.

SF: Yeah, oh yeah. Hey, can I get someone to do the soliloquy please?

Sesshou: (ice pack strapped to his leg) I'll do it.

SF: Again? Great! If you do really good on it, I'll heal your leg.

Sesshou: Fine, fine. (Grabs script) Being trapped in this place isn't as bad as we originally thought. We have enough food and supplies to last until help arrives, so I believe our only problem is making sure help knows where we are. Of course, that's not easy with Kagome's injured leg and the emergency controls. However, I believe there is someone here that can help with this...

Or, should I say something...

Chapter Twelve: ART

(Responses:)

cutebaby, Labled Insane, Kiya, Baka-onna2003, Kitt90, OOF, Mystic Angel, PyroGothicGirl, inudemoness247, Mx2mnm, Okibi Usagi, Dark Neko-chan (Hi!), Duzzie, WhoKnows, Dragon Rae, sakurakitsune14, Skitzoflame, Wake Robin, Karou4, imcrazy.urpoint, Ivei, xSilverShadowsx, Minchi: Thanks for reviewing you guys! I'm feeling a lot better, so another chapter should be on its way!

Kagome: Hey Sesshou, at least you live. Yeah, I can't help but be soft toward the guy. I think he has enough problems, I don't think he needs to add a missing arm. Sesshou, I think you're stuck up there. Sorry!

inuyasha's little angel: Yeah, I just love the cliffies. I haven't done one in a while, so I figured it was about time.

Shabopo: Oh, her eyes. I never did explain that now did I. I'll have to remember to someday. You'll get your answer though, I promise.

Yume no Zencho: That might, then again it might not. You know what they say, if you love something, sometimes you have to set it free.

sessywuver: No prob. Second Chance has a new chapter, and another chapter is due any time now. I actually got one of my favorite artist/ writer draw a picture for the next chapter!

Row: (blush) Thanks a lot. I'm always honored when I'm nominated for something as cool as an award. Yeah, she should have been mad but I think she's going to get angry over something else. Nothing like getting kicked with a steel toed boot to get your attention. Thanks for the vote of confidence!

ShindyNova : Um...oh wow. I haven't thought about this in a while. OK, I think Sesshoumaru's 22 in this (his age is on chapter five for sure), and Kagome's seventeen. I can't remember how old Inuyasha and the rest are, but I will get back to you on that. Shiva and Bahamut are Aeons in FFX and S-2, but they were GFs first. I will add a few pieces of FFX and its sequel.

ReginaLucifer: You're right, he is rather childish. But he is getting softer and that is the main purpose. Now if only I could get a certain female gunblade to relax...

aznchicki: Hey, what do you mean you got them all? You got the minor GFs too like that little moogle dude? OMG, I'm so jealous. I can only get as far as Eden and be happy. Yeah, malboro suck. Odin NEVER kills mine. Lazy prick.


	12. ART

Disclaimer: Yeah, I don't own it. Oh, and I'm really sorry about being away for so long. I've had the flu (or the croop if you ask my mother) and haven't been able to get near the computer for the past couple of days. Anyway, here's the newest update, one of the firsts since felling better.

Chapter Twelve: ART

I

Aquamarine orbs opened slowly, confusion and weariness shimmering deep within as their owner struggled toward consciousness and the memory of her surroundings. Kagome sat up, yawned and stretched lazily, her hand coming up to wipe at her mouth before she sniffed, lightly scratched the back of her neck and searched the room for Sesshoumaru.

"Now why am I not surprised," Kagome grumbled as she stared at an otherwise empty room. "Why can't he just be still for once? Would it kill him?" She struggled to stand, rising first to her hands and knees before bracing herself on her good leg to jerk herself upright. She stumbled to the bathroom and splashed some water on her face, deciding for the moment to leave the various dirt smudges on her face and neck for another time. She left both rooms and began to venture down the hallway toward what she thought was another room.

Kagome jumped back when a slight 'ding!' went off in the hallway then watched as the pristine white doors opened and Sesshoumaru stepped out of the elevator.

"What are you doing out here?" he asked, a dark brow cocked curiously at her.

"Well you weren't there when I woke up so I decided to try and find you."

"Not very smart," Sesshoumaru quipped as he leaned against the elevator doors. "You are injured after all."

"Yeah but I'm not a cripple!" Kagome huffed and angrily stomped her injured foot. She gasped at the blinding pain that shot up her leg and in her hurry to relieve it lost her balance and toppled backward. She waited for the impact and the pain that would come with it but was surprised when she stopped falling...without the pain. Kagome opened her eyes and found Sesshoumaru hovering inches above her, one arm firmly around her waist with the other bracing them on the wall.

"You were saying?" Sesshoumaru asked when Kagome's cheeks darkened to a cherry pink. She grumbled in embarrassment and aggravation, the urge to strike him growing in her breast as he hoisted them up. He waited until she was sure of her footing before picking her up again, this time with one arm at her waist and another hooked underneath her knees.

"What are you doing?" Kagome demanded as he walked past the elevator to the other side of the circle. "Put me down!"

"This way is faster," Sesshoumaru reasoned calmly before changing the subject. "I have restored the main plumbing controls."

"Really?" Kagome responded. "Does that mean I can take a shower now?"

"Not now," Sesshoumaru replied and almost laughed at her little pout. "But soon. First I want to show you something."

He raised the hand at Kagome's waist to a panel beside a set of double doors and stepped back as they rumbled open. The room they entered was shaped in an octagon, with a sturdy coffee brown padding on the floor with beige panels on the wall edged in black stained wood. "What is this room?"

"Oh, um...it's called an octagon," Kagome responded. "It's kinda like a dojo."

"I see." Sesshoumaru nodded in understanding, a stray thought holding his attentions for a moment before he shook it free and continued toward another set of doors. The doors were separated by a single beige panel with the word 'fusah' on the left one and 'sah' on the right. Sesshoumaru opened the right hand door and walked into what looked to be a locker room.

"The showers are back here," he told Kagome as they walked past rows and rows of gray metal lockers to the back of the expansive room. They walked past a wall made of glass to the washroom itself. Little gray square tiles lined the walls and the floor, metal grates dotted the floors and eight shower heads were evenly spaced on the walls above them. There were six sinks on the opposite side of the room and what looked to be three small metal doors at the end of the row of sinks. "What are they?" Sesshoumaru asked as he approached the doors.

Kagome read over the little signs above them and gave a tiny squeak of excitement. "The first one," Kagome said as she pointed toward the one on the far left. "Is sort of like a dirty clothes hamper." She opened the door and stared down the empty chute with a smile. "Dirty clothes go down there, but you kinda figured that out huh?"

"Indeed," Sesshoumaru muttered before setting her down in front of the chute. "Now what are the other two?"

"Um...Oh!" Kagome exclaimed after a few moments. "This chute is kind of a soap dispenser," she said as she tapped the middle door. "The control buttons on the top are for scents and stuff like that. The third blue button from the right is marked unscented. Thought you might want to remember that, you know, with your nose and all."

"Quite."

"Are you going to say more than one word during this discussion?" Kagome remarked with a teasing smile. Sesshoumaru cast his eyes heavenward, tapped a single digit against his bottom lip and shrugged.

"Maybe."

"Oh for the love of Cripe," Kagome exclaimed with a roll of her eyes. "**Anyway**, before I get frustrated," she growled as she tapped the third and final chute. "This chute is for other supplies, like towels, toothbrushes and underwear."

"Underwear?" Sesshoumaru repeated as he gave the chute a queer glance. "Why would that be a part of the supplies?"

"Well what do you know," Kagome mumbled. "He _can_ say more than one word at a time."

"You sorely test my patience," Sesshoumaru warned her with slightly narrowed eyes. "Do get on with it."

"OK fine," Kagome huffed. "Jeez, so emotional. Anywayz, I don't know why underwear are in this chute. I don't care either. But the buttons here are for the underwear sizes. They go all the way from small to extra large, not that I care what you wear."

"You're blushing Kagome," Sesshoumaru noted as he watched the feint pink rise to her cheeks. "Why is that?"

"Maybe I'm not," Kagome grumbled as she fanned her face. "Maybe it's hot in here. Ever thought about that?"

"No," he admitted as he picked her up and began to leave the shower area. "It never crossed my mind."

"You know, not every female thinks you're the stuff," she griped.

"Right," Sesshoumaru nodded as he left the first locker room and entered the second one. "And you just so happen to be one of those females?"

"Right." She scowled when he laughed, the dark chuckle that echoed off the walls felt as if it vibrated throughout her chest to spark at her toes. He set her down in the middle of the shower area, noting for once that the tile in this particular bathroom was a dull pink instead of gray. "Take a shower Kagome. Does that watch of yours still work?"

"Um..." Kagome lightly tapped on the face of her wristwatch and held it up to his ear. "Yup, it works."

"Good. I'll come back for you in an hour." Kagome gawked as he walked away, suddenly affronted that he would leave her on her own so easily. 'Oh come on Kagome,' she scolded herself as she hobbled across the shower floor to inspect one of the shower heads. 'It's not like it's the end of the world. It's not exactly the best idea to get attached to him anyway. If I do, then I'll never be strong enough to walk on my own.'

She tinkered with the shower a few moments more before figuring out how to turn it on. She recognized this as something from Esthar too and wondered why it took her so long to figure it out. 'Duh Kagome,' she said before she lightly slapped her forehead. 'It's been a while since you were last...home.'

"Home..." she sighed wistfully. Kagome shook free the onslaught of depressing thoughts and moved to a nearby bench to shed her clothes, grimacing slightly at the grime and filth that stuck to her clothing. 'How did I get sand in my underwear?' Kagome griped as she tossed the entire ball of ruined clothes in the designated chute. She wondered if she should go back and get her jacket, then shrugged when she figured it too late.

Operating the next two chutes was easy enough, with jasmine scented tubes of shampoo, lotion and soap coming from the middle tube and a large parcel wrapped in plastic coming from the one on the left. Kagome left the parcel on the bench underneath it, turned on the nearest shower head and stepped into the water. Her eyes closed in sheer bliss as the warmth rained down on her sore muscles, unaware of how injured she was until the first couple of droplets beat against her skin. She didn't turn down the water pressure however, but stood there and welcomed the onslaught.

'It's worth it to be clean,' she decided before reaching for the soap. Twenty minutes (and two empty bottles) later Kagome turned off the water, her skin pink from the hot water and her vigorous scrubbing. She ripped open the parcel and tossed it and the empty bottles of soap and shampoo down the middle chute. Inside she found the panties she requested along with a pair of large towels, a toothbrush, toothpaste and a pair of socks. She dried off quickly, using one towel to wrap around herself and the other to make a makeshift turban for her hair.

Kagome sat by the lockers ten minutes later in her socks, nervously twiddling her thumbs as she waited for Sesshoumaru to return. She growled and glanced at her watch, then decided enough was enough and left the room to look for him. She pushed the locker room door open with her shoulder, stood in the threshold and cautiously eyed the room before her before entering.

She reached the middle of the octagon and stopped when a funny tingling began at the back of her neck. Kagome focused on her senses and calmed her breathing and calmed her senses, some inner instinct telling her to be alert as she prepared herself for whatever was to come. She felt the presence of something powerful behind her and waited for it to approach her while she steeled her nerve.

A clawed hand touched her naked shoulder and Kagome grabbed it's wrist, knocked it aside and used the momentum of her assailant and herself to shove him backward and onto the padded floor. The force wrenched her good foot from underneath her and she yelped in agony as she sank to the floor beside him.

"Well," Sesshoumaru coughed from his place on the floor. "It would seem that you're not as helpless as I thought you were."

"What's the big idea you jerk!" Kagome yelled as she cradled her ankle. "You could have scared me half to death!"

"Silence woman," he grumbled as he sat up and shook out his tail. "I come to retrieve you and _this_ is the thanks I get. Humans."

"Hey, I could have hurt you you jacka-" Kagome stopped and gaped when he finally stood, noticing for the first time the towel tightly wrapped around his waist. "Wh-where are your clothes?" she stammered nervously.

Sesshoumaru curiously quirked a brow at her. "Surely you didn't expect me to remain filthy. I needed a bath almost as badly as you did."

"Are you trying to say that I stink?" Kagome demanded while he helped her stand. Sesshoumaru sighed in aggravation, wrapped his tail around her waist and picked her up before leaving the dojo. "You never answered me!"

"I know. Now be still before I drop you." He smirked when she relented, her arms crossing over the fluffy towel material covering her chest as she glowered at a nearby wall. He directed the elevator back to the fifth floor and entered Kagome's room. "Now," he thought aloud as he set her on the bed. "To find some clothes-"

"You haven't found any clothes?"

'Oh boy,' Sesshoumaru complained as Kagome scowled at him. 'Here she goes.' "No, not exactly. I have been more concerned with the plumbing controls than th-"

"So what, you just decided that we'd run around in nothing but towels?" Kagome frowned. "Wow, and I thought Miroku was a pervert."

"Oh spare me," Sesshoumaru growled before throwing open her clothes cabinet. He mentally frowned when he found it empty and shut the door. "You would not be the first female I've seen." 'Though you would be the most developed,' his inner conscious whispered as his eyes roved over the curves hidden underneath the towel.

'Now where the _hell_ did that come from?' he asked himself and rubbed the bridge of his nose in frustration. 'Must be stress.' "I do have an idea as to where to find some so-"

"Then hop to it!" Kagome interrupted and tossed a bed pillow at him. "Don't just stand there gawking!" She grinned when he walked out, his narrowed eyes signs of his aggravation and anger as she waved. She braided her hair while she waited, using a small pocket comb she found wedged between bullet casings inside her train case and a spare hair tie she had previously wrapped around it.

He returned a few moments later with an enormous heap of clothing grasped in his arms. He dumped them on her bed (and on her), then grunted something about fishing out what she could wear before quitting the room. "How rude," Kagome mumbled and shook her head before she began the task of shifting through the clothes. She separated the things she could wear from the things she couldn't, then dove into the pile of clothes that she could wear for an outfit. Kagome quickly donned a plum colored halter top with a high collar and a white heart splayed on the front. A little more digging produced a skirt that reached her feet that was the same plum. A set of robin's egg blue stripes ran from her left hip where the skirt had a high slit. She decided against wearing the boots, figuring her ankle too sensitive for something as constrictive. Kagome glanced at her watch again and yawned, then figured that maybe she could sneak in a quick nap when her door opened and Sesshoumaru stepped inside.

Kagome couldn't help but snicker at his less than happy face, the pout that was too undignified to grace his face with bloody murder practically screaming in his eyes as he glared at her. "What's wrong Sesshoumaru?" she asked with a giggle. Her giggle died a quick death when she finally glanced down at the rest of him, her eyes blinking rapidly as she barely noticed the loose yellow pants or the brown boots on his feet. Her eyes were practically glued to the example of male perfection as he stood before her without a shirt, a good fifteen minutes of silence spawning between them before good sense found her and she turned her head.

"Where's your shirt?" she asked with her hands covering her eyes. "Why are you prancing around her half naked?"

"This Sesshoumaru does not 'prance'," Sesshoumaru growled, obviously affronted by what he felt was an insult. "As for not having a shirt," He gave and gave her a predatory smile. "You don't seem to mind."

"Yeah well, whatever," Kagome blushed. "I'm-" Her stomach interrupted with an angry growl, her embarrassment only deepening as her stomach seemed to cave in on itself. She pouted at Sesshoumaru's chuckle, ignoring him and his tail as he wound around it's normal place on her person and quit the room

"We are going to the cafeteria," he told her as he opened the elevator doors. "You're going to eat, then your going to help me get into the control room."

II

A week had passed since they first fell and Sesshoumaru was still no closer to gaining access inside the control room. He grumbled a long string of curses from his place beside the control room door, with the electronic lock console beside it wide open and the wires spilling down the rest of the wall. Sesshoumaru growled something nasty under his breathe and leaned over to pick up the case of miniature tools on the floor, exchanged a pair of pliers with a Phillips screwdriver and returned to poking around the lock box.

'This is just frustrating,' he grumbled and jumped back when a blue spark flew from one of the wires. 'Why is this so difficult? I've had no trouble with everything else, including one of the food processors with it decided to shut down, but this is almost impossible.' In truth, there were many things that frustrated them, and not all of them had to do with the control room door. One of those problems consisted with the exit, which he couldn't find. If he were any other youkai, he would have concluded that the place was built with imprisonment in mind and that one actually had to escape from this 'gilded cage'. However, Sesshoumaru was a youkai of logic and logic stated that if you could get in it, then you could get out. All one had to do was find the way and the way was what was escaping him for the moment.

The second, and most pressing, was Kagome herself. She was almost an indispensable asset with her explanations and translations in this language that Sesshoumaru felt was familiar but still foreign to him. It was her ankle that still presented the problem. He expected it to take it's time healing. "After all," he said to her one evening as she floated along behind him. "Humans heal so much slower than youkai." His problem were the agonizing shots of pain that would occasionally paralyze her. These bouts with her ankle would leave her breathless afterward, with the pain slowly becoming worse as the days passed.

'Perhaps I'm wrong,' Sesshoumaru mused as he continued to tinker with the lock console. 'Perhaps her foot is actually broken. No.' He shook his head and frowned thoughtfully. 'She would not be able to stand if it were broken. But there must be somethin-'

"Hey Captain."

Sesshoumaru blinked out of his musings and looked up at a nearby speaker. He shook his head in amusement at Kagome's frustration and listened as the young private berated the recently repaired P. A. System. 'She'd better not break that,' he said to himself.

"Hey Cap, I don't know where you are but could you please come to the first floor of the library. I...I think I found something."

Now that got his attention. Sesshoumaru quit the control room but decided to take the tool set with him just in case. He walked down the hallway toward the library and mentally went over everything that Kagome could have found as he held his hand against the control panel and stepped into the library.

The library entrance was on the third floor, but it actually had two floors with the lower floor located but not accessible to the fourth floor. The entire library was made of more glass than actual wall, with rows and rows of enormous windows lined around the circular room. The third floor entrance opened to a wide iron walkway that ran around the perimeter of the room with a high rail embellished with iron vines and leaves.

Sesshoumaru grasped one of the ladders and slid down, avoiding the steps altogether for this dangerous, but faster, way to the lower floor. The windows around him were the same as on the upper floor but without the railways. The bookshelves on both floors were made of the same iron jungle design as the upstairs railing. He gracefully landed on the mirrored floor below, the slight breeze from the climate control system lifting his bangs from his forehead. He glanced out of a nearby window at the holographic scenery beyond which consisted of the same forest that was painted on the walls of his room. Birds and other wildlife moved in and out of the windowpanes and the songs of the birds filtered in through hidden speakers. The simple, light furnishings of the room reflected the world around them. Desks made of light pine were against the windows and chaise lounges in creamy white were clustered in the center of the room.

Kagome waited for him at the opposite side of the circle, her arms folded underneath her breast and standing on one foot. 'It must be bothering her again,' Sesshoumaru determined as he read her body language and aura. 'Why doesn't she just sit down?' "Kagome."

"Oh, hey," she greeted him with a smile when she turned around. "When did you get here?"

"What did you want?" he asked instead. He mentally smirked when she frowned, her arms tightening against her crimson top. "I do hope it was something important."

"It is," she huffed irritably. "Look." He followed her finger to a large portrait hanging on one of the few walls in the room. He gave it a passive glance, his eyes roving over the almost endearing painting of a little girl and her father watching a shooting star as they sat in a field of sheep, then turned to her and shrugged. "I've seen better pictures to be honest."

"Not the picture," Kagome replied. "This." She grasped the lower right hand corner and pulled, both feet firmly planted on the ground as she tugged. The pain in her scent increased rapidly and Sesshoumaru responded in kind. Kagome was tossed to a nearby couch before either of them could blink and the picture pushed aside to reveal what was hidden underneath.

"Do not do that again," Sesshoumaru growled irritably. "Understand?"

"Y-y-yeah," Kagome nodded weakly, her world still shaken from his brutal treatment. "How about I stay right here?" She sighed in relief at his nod and watched as he turned to the control panel hidden in the wall. The niche in the wall was no bigger than a shoe box, with a small lever on one side and three red buttons lined up vertically on the left. "What is it?"

"I don't know exactly," Sesshoumaru distantly replied as he studied the panel. "It looks like some sort of mediocre recharging system."

"A what?" Kagome asked as she situated herself on the couch and her skirt from being wrapped around her waist. "What's that?"

"It's something that I wouldn't have expected to find in a place like this," he responded before tracing one of the four labels. "It's like a generator for the main power systems. When the power runs low you do...something to this so the power cells recharge." Kagome nodded at his explanation and looked on as he continued to study the technology before them. "But I would never have expected anything so...primitive."

"But you've said all week that everything here is 'so advanced'," Kagome said with a grand wave of her arms. "'Everything here is so much more advanced than anything at Balamb and Deling. Everything here is sooooo shiny!'"

"Woman, you will cease your prattling and read these inscriptions."

Kagome huffed, mumbled something about 'spoilsport youkai' and walked over to him. "Um..." She read over the markings, then gave Sesshoumaru an expectant glance.

"What?"

"You can read some of that," Kagome replied. "Or do you just drown me out when I try to teach you this stuff?"

Sesshoumaru mentally groaned, remembered their nightly Al Bhed lessons, and gave the labels one last glance over. He only understood one word which was stamped out above the lever. "I don't know what the rest of it says," he admitted. "But one of the words above the lever is 'three'."

"Not bad," Kagome complimented. "You _are _paying attention to me. The label above the lever says to 'Pump three times, then press the program buttons simultaneously."

"I see," Sesshoumaru muttered. "And those three?" he asked as he pointed toward the red buttons. "They're the program buttons?"

"Yup," Kagome nodded. "But they're labeled weird. The first one is 'audio'-"

"Normal," Sesshoumaru determined.

"The second is 'visual'-"

"Again, normal."

"And the last is 'sensory'."

'Sensory?' "How odd."

"Like I said," Kagome nodded in agreement. "Weird. What do you want to do?"

"I don't believe we have much of a choice. You press the visual and sensory buttons and I'll do the rest."

"Alright." Kagome squeezed between the limited space between Sesshoumaru and the console, the lack of distance between them somewhat comforting to her after spending so much time in each other's company. "I'm ready," she said when she looked up at him. "Fire away."

Sesshoumaru quickly flicked the lever, with the last flick substantially harder than the first before the sound of gears winding and churning. They watched as a light beneath the red buttons lit up one at a time, with the sensory button the last to come to life before the gears stopped. The red buttons were the next to be pushed and the two SeeDs stepped back when a loud, booming voice sounded above the birds' songs and the normal sounds of wildlife.

"Ihetahdeveat bancuhham. Cdyda ouin hysa yht cdydeuh."

"What is that?" Sesshoumaru demanded as Kagome released her hold on his forearm. "What is it saying?" Kagome ignored him, her focus more intent on the system around her as the voice repeated it's demand.

"Ihetahdeveat bancuhham. Cdyda ouin hysa yht cdydeuh."

"Ahkmecr bnuknys!" Kagome shouted suddenly, startling Sesshoumaru into letting her be for a moment. "English program, activated at 1535 hours."

The voice fell silent for a second then, "Unidentified personnel. State your name and station."

"How did you know to do that?" Sesshoumaru wondered aloud as Kagome huffed angrily.

"I don't know," she replied. "Um...We're SeeDs from Balamb. We're stranded."

"Oh yes," Sesshoumaru mumbled to himself. "That will work wonders." He growled when she nudged him with her elbow and received a weak one in return.

"Oh great!" she exclaimed. "Now you're rubbing off on me. I swear-"

"Station and Town unknown," the voice suddenly announced. "Prepare to meet the artificial hospitality program."

"Oh great," Kagome said. "I think we're going to get shot."

"It would be your fault," Sesshoumaru told her before glancing toward movement on the console. They watched as a drawer opened on the recharge console. He reached inside and pulled free two sets of thin metallic discs the size of nickels, then glanced at the illustration below for directions.

"Here," he said as he handed her a pair of discs. "You're to put these on your temples and press a little button in the center of them." Kagome nodded in understanding and waited for Sesshoumaru to put his on before putting on hers, more aware now of his nuances after a week's worth of 'Don't do this unless I tell you to's from the taiyoukai beside her. A little green slip of what appeared to be plastic popped out of the sides of the little discs and before Kagome could ask what it was she gasped and stepped away from the recharge console.

"Are you seeing what I'm seeing?" she whispered as the control panel slid up and away to reveal a swirling vortex of gray magic. Her answer was Sesshoumaru's growl, this one more guttural than the ones she was normally used to. The unsheathing of his gunblade was expected as he stepped a little ahead of her, but the weapon was lowered slightly as a figure stepped out of the vortex and into the library.

"Oh wow," Kagome gasped, the hand that covered her mouth slowly returning to her side. "Dude, is he real?"

Sesshoumaru sniffed the air around the creature, then searched for an aura before shaking his head. "No, it's some kind of illusion. "

"Not it, he," the creature, or youkai, said with a laugh. "I'm a he and it is a pleasure to meet you."

'Yeah, I'll say,' Kagome quipped to herself as she drank in the new youkai. He and Sesshoumaru were the same height, but this youkai had golden blonde hair that fell behind him to his knees from a ponytail at the back of his head. Lavender eyes sparkled back at her with silver markings gracing his eyelids, cheeks and wrists. He wore a pair of loose red pants similar to the gray ones Sesshoumaru wore with a sleeveless yellow jacket with white piping along the edges.

"And who are you?" he inquired in a voice that reminded her of silk, royal purple robes and luxury. Sesshoumaru frowned at how foolish she was being, completely ignoring the little part of him that demanded her attention be returned to him as a light blush stained her cheeks.

"I'm Kagome," she said with a slight bow. "Um, are you really there?"

"That is the question isn't it?" he replied and gave her a light laugh. "I assure you, I'm real in a sense. And you are?" He turned to Sesshoumaru and gaped, his eyes wide and disbelieving as he stared. "Lord Toga? How good it is to see you."

"No." Sesshoumaru sheathed Shikyo and shook his head. "I'm not Toga. I'm his grandson, Sesshoumaru."

"Oh, I see that now," the youkai replied. "You have your grandfather's presence. You confused me for a moment. So that means little Lord Sugumi grew up huh?" He laughed again, this time with his hand covering his mouth and an arm draped across his toned stomach. "How is that little furball anyway?"

"You know Ambassador Endo?" Kagome interrupted before Sesshoumaru could answer. "How?"

"Oh no, I don't know him exactly," the youkai answered. "But I do remember the way Lord Toga would speak of his only son. He was quite the spitfire you know."

"And when are you going to tell us your name?" Sesshoumaru asked.

"Yes, who are you?" Kagome chirped as she turned toward the youkai. "And how come you didn't come out when we first arrived? And why didn't you show up on the scanners? And have you been the one that-"

"Woah," the youkai interrupted. "Now just hold on Kagome. I don't think my processors can handle so many questions at once."

"Processors?" Kagome repeated with an unhappy sigh. "Then you're not real."

"Not exactly. I'm what you would call an interactive part of the hospitality program. My name," he bowed deeply, his left arm draped over his stomach and his right extended at his side. "Is Art and I'm in charge of many things."

"Are you over the control room for the third floor?" Sesshoumaru asked and mentally growled in frustration when Art shook his head.

"Then what are you in charge of?" Kagome wondered.

"I'm in charge of the laundry room, the library's holographic and the shelter's environment controls, and the infirmary among other things," Art answered, then gave a thoughtful glance to her leg. "Speaking of which, I believe you might need to be looked at."

"Oh, we did that when we first arrived," Kagome said with a wave of her hand. "So we know it's sprained and-" She gasped sharply and sank to the mirrored floor, her hands instantly reaching for her ankle as Sesshoumaru and Art moved to her side.

"I believe it may take more than just a quick looking at," Art said and shook his head. "If you would take her to the infirmary then I will check on her there."

Sesshoumaru nodded once then picked Kagome up, jumped onto the upper floor railing and exited the library.

)-(

"Well now, let's see what we have here," Art commented as he picked up a little cell phone-like machine and began to move it over Kagome's leg. Kagome rested on one of the three cots inside the infirmary, her eyes firmly set on Art while Sesshoumaru casually leaned against the wall beside her. They waited patiently for Art to do whatever it was he was doing with Kagome openly curious as to the device in his hands.

"What's that?" she asked when Art snapped the little machine closed. "Can I see it?"

"Of course you can. Here." He handed her the little device without protest, his cool hands lingering with hers a bit longer than necessary while he explained. "It's an automated diagnostic and x-ray. It reads your body temperature and other external readings to find exactly what is wrong with you."

"Like a mechanical doctor?" Kagome asked and smiled when he nodded with a pat to her head.

"Exactly like that. Now we wait and-" Art stopped suddenly, his back straightening almost painfully as his eyes flashed between various hues of purple. "Oh dear," he muttered once the episode passed. "It would seem that your injury is more serious than we thought."

"Really?" Kagome gasped as Sesshoumaru pondered Art's odd behavior. 'It must be what happens when information is downloaded into his program, though it is a rather disturbing image.'

"What's wrong?" Kagome's voice broke through his musings while Art answered her question.

"What did you do to injure yourself?"

"Oh, I remember that!" Kagome chirped, then glared accusingly at Sesshoumaru. "It was his half-melted doorframe that did it."

"I'm starting to believe that she would rather have stayed on the ship," Sesshoumaru quipped dryly. He growled when she wacked him upside the arm but Art interrupted before an argument could begin.

"I don't mean to interrupt this valuable moment my lord," he said with a tap on Kagome's exposed knee. "But we have a serious problem here."

"We do?" Kagome squeaked nervously.

"How so?" Sesshoumaru asked next. "It is just a simple sprain, is it not?"

"Well yes...and no. You see, right here-" Art paused and spread his hand across the free air between them. A holographic image of Kagome's x-ray instantly appeared and Art began explaining what was in front of them before either could marvel at the technology. "Are you an acid youkai Lord Sesshoumaru?"

Sesshoumaru nodded. "That's how I melted the door."

"That is what I was afraid of," Art sighed. "Apparently Kagome, you sustained some sort of scrape in the fall that twisted your ankle. You most likely didn't notice it and it scabbed over before you arrived, but I'm afraid some of Lord Sesshoumaru's acid made it through your bloodstream and is attacking the tissues of your ankle."

"ARE YOU SERIOUS!" Kagome shrieked in a full blown panic. "Oh my God! Wait a sec...what are we gonna do!"

"It's a simple thing to remedy," Art assured her as he wiped the hologram away. "Lord Sesshoumaru has an antidote handy, so-"

"You do?" Kagome asked as she quickly turned to him. Sesshoumaru, who was previously standing in a mild state of shock, nodded, reached inside one of the two pouches on his gunblade holster and pulled free two vials of clear fluid. "Oh thank God," Kagome wheezed and flopped back to the cot.

"What about the pain she's been in?" Sesshoumaru asked. "It's not a continuous burning, but one that fluctuates. My acid is much stronger."

"Well there are two reasons for that," Art offered as he waved up another chart. "One is that Kagome's body is actually attempting to fight it on it's own. There's an amazing about of..something there that acts like white blood cells, but it either isn't strong enough or there's not enough of it to completely protect her from your poison. Another reason is that Kagome's body is adjusting to the pain. It only seems to fluctuate when in fact the waves of pain she's experiencing is proof that the damage caused by the acid is only becoming worse."

"Soooo...what happens now?" Kagome asked. "Will I loose my leg?"

"No little one," Art replied before resting his hand on the crown of her head and smiling gently. "It's a simple thing to fix. Lord Sesshoumaru will give you a vial of his antidote then I will administer some antibiotics. Lord Sesshoumaru if you please."

"Here." Sesshoumaru handed Kagome one of the vials as Art disappeared behind a nearby curtain. "Swallow this."

"What is it?" Kagome asked and held the vial up to the light skeptically. "I mean, what's it made of?"

"It's perfectly harmless," Art said from behind the screen. "All it is is Lord Sesshoumaru's sa-"

Sesshoumaru interrupted with a well timed clearing of his throat. "That does not matter," Sesshoumaru told her. "Just take it. It will stop my poison." Kagome shrugged then and downed the vial's contents, determining whatever it was that she swallowed to be rather...bland in taste. 'Better than it taste like pee,' she grimaced and frowned at Sesshoumaru's chuckle. "What? What's so funny?"

"You are," he said as he sat down beside her head. "To think that this Sesshoumaru would stoop so low as to urinate in a vial."

"Oh **EWWWWW**!" Kagome complained, her face scrunched up in disgust. "That's so gross! How could you _say_ that!"

"I said I didn't do it," Sesshoumaru huffed. "So what are you complaining abo-" He looked up at Art when he stepped toward them, then at the needle in his hand before asking what it was.

"It's just the antibiotics I talked about earlier," Art assured him as he removed the tiny air bubbles from the needle's tip. "Now Kagome, if you could just lie still-" Kagome jumped up and, despite the pain in her ankle, somehow managed to scramble behind Sesshoumaru. She grasped his shoulders instantly, her fingers completely unbiased as she gripped both hair and skin and cowered away from Art.

"Kagome," Sesshoumaru began as she began to tremble behind him. "Kagome what is it? Stop and tell us what's wrong."

"It's the needle," she muttered softly. "I hate needles. I don't want a shot!"

"But Kagome, it's only a little needle," Art replied softly. He held the needle up for her to see and frowned when she squeaked and disappeared behind Sesshoumaru's shoulder. "Now this is ridiculous," Art sighed. "It will only hurt for a moment and even then-"

"I said no!" Kagome growled at the program. "Keep that away from me! I **hate** needles!"

"Look," Art sighed in frustration. "It will only hurt for a moment." He reached for Kagome's foot and somewhere between Kagome's whimper and Art's outstretched hand Sesshoumaru's inner youkai protested. It howled angrily at the terror coming from behind him in waves, it protesting it and the object causing it.

"No."

Art blinked in surprise when the clawed hand covered her ankle and looked up into piercing golden eyes. "Excuse me my lord?"

"You will find another way," Sesshoumaru ordered calmly, though his inu was less that calm. It battered against the restraints of his control like a wild, feral thing, it's eyes red and it's howling echoing throughout Sesshoumaru's consciousness. "There is no need to scare her."

"But-"

"I said no."

Art glanced from Sesshoumaru to Kagome and back again before sighing. "Alright," he said and finally backed away from the pair. "I will find another way Lord Sesshoumaru. Please calm down."

"I am calm," Sesshoumaru told him as Art disappeared once again behind the curtain. He growled at the program's audacity and patted Kagome's hand. "It is alright," he told her. "You should calm down now."

"Ehehe," Kagome laughed nervously. "Um...sorry about that. How embarrassing."

"No need to be sorry," Sesshoumaru told her. "Humans are naturally afraid of something."

"Oh yeah," Kagome pouted. "That's a comfort."

"Well that's what it was meant to be." He ignored her frustrated groan as Art returned to them, this time with a glass of water and a single white pill.

"Here you are Kagome," he said as he handed her the pill and the glass. "Take this. It will help you relax." Kagome readily agreed and placed the pill in her mouth, then retrieved the glass of water from Art's hand. She downed the medicine quickly, a little too quickly as she gagged slightly from where the pill was briefly stuck in her throat. She raised her hand and returned the glass to Art, who quickly put it away.

Art sat down at the foot of Kagome's cot and for a while the three of them enjoyed a light conversation about unimportant things. There were questions about the outside world from Art, and questions about the shelter and the world it was once surrounded by from Kagome and Sesshoumaru. They quickly learned what they guessed at all along; that the shelter they were in was a part of a bigger research and development center but of what Art had no real clue toward.

"Forgive me," he apologized sincerely. "I wish I could be of more help."

"That's all (yawn) right Art," Kagome muttered sleepily. "You can only do what you're programed too. No one's blaming you."

'I wouldn't say that,' Sesshoumaru said to himself as Kagome yawned again. He watched with mild surprise as she lowered her head to his lap, the ebony hair in her ponytail spilling over his left thigh to stream onto the cot's white sheets. "Kagome?"

"I'm alright," she mumbled with a smile. "I'm just a little tired." Sesshoumaru grasped her wrist and held up her watch, noted the early time and gave her a questioning glance. "Do you realize what time it is?" he asked her.

"It's perfectly alright," Art assured him. "It's the effects of the little pill I gave her. She should be relaxed fairly soon."

Sesshoumaru raised his brow, but ignored him when Kagome curled in on herself. Her head remaining where it was but her hands tucked themselves underneath her chin and her legs folded against each other. The crimson and violet stripes of her dress draped against the bed, leaving both legs exposed but her privacy intact. Sesshoumaru looked up and away from her when Art stood up, then back down when Kagome sighed.

"Have I told you-" she yawned, then looked up at him with sleepy blue-green eyes.

"Told me what?" Sesshoumaru coaxed. "Do continue, because this might just be worth waiting for."

Kagome frowned and shifted in his lap. "I was going to say (yawn) thank you, but since you want to be a je-"

"Thank you for what?" Sesshoumaru interrupted.

"For looking after me. I know I've been a perfect pest-"

'Which may be the only thing your perfect at.'

"But you stuck with me. I totally appreciate it so, you know," Kagome shrugged and yawned yet again. "Thanks."

"I believe," Sesshoumaru said as Art returned from behind the curtain. "That is the nicest thing you've ever said to me."

"Yeah well don't get used to i-" She yipped at a sharp pain in her thigh and whimpered, a single tear falling from her eye and over her nose. Sesshoumaru looked up just as Art removed the needle from her and tossed it into a nearby trash drawer.

"She should rest now," Art told him at Sesshoumaru's glare. "Could you return her to her room?"

Sesshoumaru complied, but only because he felt he would rip the simulation apart if he stayed any longer. He quickly left the room, his anger flaring at Art's trickery as Kagome continued her pitiful noise from his arms. 'She has never been so...frightened,' he thought to himself as he entered the blue room and crossed the floor to her bed. 'Even when she faced the remains of the Galbadian troops she destroyed did she behave so.'

"I bet you think I'm a coward," Kagome mumbled as he pushed the covers on her bed down. Her eyes briefly closed when he placed her on the sheets and opened again, this time with less clarity than the last. "I know I feel like one."

"Do not concern yourself with what I think," Sesshoumaru reprimanded. "You should rest instead."

"I just don't like needles," she continued. "My first memory is about needles. They're sticking out of me from everywhere and I'm just screaming my head off." She yawned and turned over, unaware of the clawed fingers that brushed aside her bang as she clutched her pillow. "No one seemed to listen and the needles hurt so much...so...(yawn) much..." She slipped away quietly, a slight moan coming from her otherwise silent form while Art and Sesshoumaru looked on.

"My lord, we should leave her," Art suggested. "That way she can heal uninterrupted."

"Art, did we not agree on the needle's uselessness?" Sesshoumaru asked. Art blinked in confusion, lavender eyes narrowed slightly as he nodded. "Yes my lord but-"

"Then what was the purpose of ignoring me?"

"My lord, it was the only way," Art replied with an apologetic bow. "Forgive me for the disrespect but I felt it necessary."

"Is it possible for you to help me with the control room lock?" Sesshoumaru asked as he quickly changed subjects. Art nodded. "Good. Then we shall do so once she wakes up."

"That isn't necessary," Art told him. "I can watch over her."

"You can watch her and help me at the same time?"

"Yes," Art nodded. "My program is highly adaptable."

"Fine. Do it then." He and Art made their way toward the door, the discussion seemingly over when Sesshoumaru stopped just at the metal entranceway. "Oh, and Art?"

"Yes my lord?"

Sesshoumaru turned around, blood red eyes narrowed dangerously in the program's direction as his claws glowed a neon green. "The next time you disobey me, or cause her any discomfort of any kind, I will take you apart and melt your motherboard. Is that understood?"

"Quite Lord Sesshoumaru," Art answered with a deep bow. He followed Sesshoumaru out of the room, but a wall panel near the food processor opened and he stepped out, this time dressed in the same blues as the room. He approached Kagome quietly, her back still to him as he leaned over her to touch her forehead.

"Her temperature is the normal," Art determined with a smile. "That's good. I don't believe the inu youkai is pleased with me at the moment." He chuckled lightly, thinking to himself how cute the two were when Kagome's necklace fell from underneath her shirt. He picked it up thoughtfully, his clawed thumb tracing over the sapphire star and the links in the silver chain. "How interesting," he whispered aloud. "What a pretty trinket." He returned it to the sheets, sat down in a nearby chair and watched over her, his thoughts roving over random ideas and commands while Kagome slept on.

(End Chapter)

Kagome's outfits (both the blue/purple from the beginning of the chapter and the red/violet near the end): Yuna at www (dot) ffx2 (dot) com (slash) newdresses (slash) darkgunner (dot) jpg

SF: OH CRAP! I totally forgot something!

Inu-chan: And that's a surprise? (High fives Miroku)

SF: Oh, ahahahahaha. Buttmunch.

Inu-chan: Birdbrain

SF: Pencildick.

Inu-chan: Hey! If she can say that, how come I can't say bitch-

**ZAP**!

SF: It _really_ is too easy to egg him. Anyway, someone asked me something and I totally spaced out and forgot to answer. It smacked me a couple of days prior to this chapter and I thought I'd better answer it, even though I don't remember who asked (sorry!) The question was about chapter ten, where Shippou and the others are watching Sesshoumaru and Kagome's names scroll across the MIA screen. Here's what the symbols mean:

G. Class D Spe. Rnk 29 AP Rnk 13 En Tec 5: These are Sesshoumaru's listings. Um...let's see...oh! Ok! Gunner class D (rank going from A to F with F being the highest) Specialist Rank 29 (Gunblade) Airship Pilot Rank 13 Electronic Engineering Technician 5 (another sort of rank and class)

G. Class A Spe. Rnk 19 Neg/CR : These are Kagome's listings

Gunner class A (she just got hers remember?) Specialist Rank 19 Negotiation/ Car Repair

SF: Well, there it is. I hope it helps. Oh, um...who's doing the thing this time?

Shippou: Me! Let me do it SF! Please!

SF: Oh Shippou I'm sorry, but Inuyasha's doing it this time. You can do the next one OK?

Shippou: Ok... (pouts)

Inuyasha: Yeah! Now I get to say what I **want** to say!

SF: Over your dead body Dog Boy. Get to work!

Inuyasha: Grrrr. Whatever. Anyway (reads script) It's actually hard to be without Kagome, if you can believe it. Shippou's a major party pooper, Sango and Kikyou can't stop crying and Miroku hasn't been a pervert in well...forever. Shippou swears that Kagome's alive and despite everyone saying otherwise...I believe him. You see, Shippou says he has proof. What he doesn't know is that I kinda have proof too...

Chapter 13: Juromaru's Destruction

(Reviews)

fluffychick15, LtSonya, Larka the White Wolf, Sexi3-Kagome69ner, ReginaLucifer, migele, Kaichai, BlueMonkey89, baka-onna2003, Strawberrylover, Dragon Rae, busoshwe, Wake-Robin, Aqua Miko, Okibi Usagi, sessywuver, kitt90: Wow you guys! Thanks a lot! Another update's on the way!

Native Wolf Cub: My goodness. So many questions. lol. No, I'm playing. I love questions. Um...let's see here...Oh, nope. Sesshou and Kagome aren't going to get the chance to complete the mission. But don't worry! Headmaster Leonheart has all that under control, as you'll see in the next chapter. You know what? All of your questions but one are going to be answered in the next chapter, so instead of repeating myself and boring you, I'll just wait until then and leave you with the promise that you won't remain confused and clueless for long. Thanks so much for the review and the praise! I'm so glad you're enjoying it! It makes the long nights that I stay up to do it worthwhile!

Diana Artemis Silvermoon: This is the last time that Sesshou will get hurt, but Kagome's got a little more to go. As a matter of fact it's gonna suck to be Kagome in the near future, so look out for that. I wonder why I like torturing her so...

Thesta: Um...unfortunately no. Have you played the game? Well if you haven't (or if you didn't get Odin until Disk 4) then Odin is offed once you confront Sefier on Disk 3. Don't worry cause another GF (I think they call him his brother or something) takes his place.

Ashika: Ahh. That's so sad. I'm so sorry about that. It's a great game though. I like it anyway. Anything with that much detail and I'm all for it. Oh, so you noticed that little thing with Art huh? lol. Sorry, but I can't tell you just yet. Don't worry though. There's a reason for the secrecy. I'll give you one thing though: It's not Al Bhed. I think his name would be different if it were. Thanks so much on the congrats! I totally appreciate it! I didn't think this story would be quite as hard as it is. Dude, the rest of the 24 chapters are going to suck to get out. lol. JK.

happy child: Are you reading my mind? Or do you have camera's in my room? (looks around for cameras) lol. JK. Seriously, I'm surprised! You saw straight through what I'm planning to do! But...you didn't see all of it...muhahahahahahaha!

Row: Ah, so you caught me on it! Yeah, I had to. I thought the first line was pretty cool, so I thought I'd use it. The Breaking Point has a new chapter (just in case you didn't know) and I plan on updating Second Chance next. Hopefully either Second Chance or ACoB will be finished soon so I can get back to the others. Honestly, I'm starting to miss A Kiss. I'm going to have to work on that one next.

xSilverShadowsx: That question, plus any others, will be answered soon. I promise.

Chaos-Empersonified: Yup, GFs are exactly like the summons from FFs 9, 10, and 10-2.

Pyro666Rebelliousgirl: (blush) It flatters me to know that you think I'm that creative, but nope. Alas, that language belongs to the Final Fantasy franchise. Trust me, the last time I tried to come up with a new language, it came out like 'Zickle-Zickle-Zickle'.

OOF: Action and stuff? But of course! In the next chapter definitely and in plenty of the chapters to come!

ChIbI rIn: Al Bhed is a language created by those that work for the Final Fantasy franchise. The eye color changing thing will be explained later on. Yeah, steel toed boots are useful things aren't they? lol. My muse? Are you talking about the little pyro or my cousin Silver?

KyouFan: Some of the things are from the game, then others are either from my imagination, the anime or from another anime. The quote Kagome found on the elevator floor comes from FullMetal Alchemist and the language Kagome knows is Al Bhed. Thanks for the get well wishes. I totally appreciate them!

Hyo-Neko: Oh, sorry. No Rikku for this story. There will be more Al Bhed, and I think Yuna's here somewhere . lol. I totally agree with you on that Sesshie thing! He was absolutely adorable. Awwwww...uh oh! He's glaring at us! RUN!

Yume no Zencho: Oh! The Mombas! Yeah, I remember them! Dude, it took me a while to figure out what you were talking about. I know! I read that book so long ago it's scary...course, the book I read was missing lots of pages. You know what would make a cool movie? A Wrinkle in Time. That was a beautiful book.

stoictimer: I think two or three months ought to be enough. Just enough time for the outside world to think they're dead, spring to become summer and for the two fo them to get closer together.

NoLabel: No way! I don't hate you! As a matter of fact, I thought about putting out an APB to FIND YOU. Thanks so much for the praise and nope, Al Bhed isn't mine. Dude, my brain would be mega fried if I had. Um...oooooo...you need help with a toughie! Man. Um...Well it's obvious that you can't summon any GFs unless you summon Carbuncle. Did you happen to steal any Holy Wars from Sefier before the fight? If so, use a few of those. Those will help out nicely. Other than that, I'd say keep a character with strong magic constantly smacking Adel with any strong magic that won't slap Riona (like Holy and Flare) and the physically strong one alternating between the physical smack down and the magical smack down and the third one (Hey, here's a hint: Sephie has a really cool ability in her Limit Break called Slot. If you're lucky you'll get Full Cure, which is like a blessing from the FF gods.) healing either the group or Riona. Casting Regen on Riona isn't the worst idea either.

sakurakitsune14: Yup, you caught it too! I couldn't help but use it! I love that anime. Yeah...(blush) that's Mom and her word. She's strange like that.

Lady Banshee 999: The question you had about the stats on the SAD board are above. Sesshou's sense of humor is going to appear more often as he and Kagome get closer. Kagome's realized by now that she has Alexander, but she doesn't have a clue as to how she got it. Don't worry, I plan on addressing Deling's little inner voice soon. You remembered the necklace (glomp!)! I'm so happy! No one remembers it but you! Don't worry cause that's going to be explained too!

azn-modern-miko: Kagome's 17 right now but by the end of the story she'll be 18.

Shabopo: Girl, you and me both...though you're reasons are a little different than mine. I've just seen one too many horror movies involving the woods. I'm a fraidy cat. (mew!) Oh, and speaking of chapters...and since you're one of my fave authors...(puppy eyes) You know what I want right? So I don't have to ask do I? All I gotta do is say "PWEASE!" and you'll know my pain and get right to work right? lol.

aznchicki: I'm totally past the Odin/ Gilgamesh thing. I'm all the way at Ulcemtia's Castle. That's a witch by the way. I've never gotten the Moogle, but the chochobo is easy enough. All you have to do is solve the chocobo puzzle in one of the forests. Hey, the easiest one is near the Shumi Village.

ShindyNova: Ah, more questions. I'm glad you're good on the ages now. So you know Al Bhed by heart huh? I'll be honest...I don't. I have to look it up on a special website. If it ever goes down I'm totally screwed. Where they are is currently abandoned, so that's why it's so weird that everything there still works. Yup, this is the place where the doctors isolated themselves. There's reason for that too. Let's just say that these guys weren't the benevolent creatures their world thought they were. No, you're not making it difficult at all. As a matter of fact, I just so happen to like questions. It lets me know that you're curious and you're paying attention. I'm a sucker for that kind of thing.

inuyasha's little angel: Sesshou's hand twitched. I know lots of people that twitch in their sleep (Little Muse included) and they never remember what happened. As far as him stopping her like that, what can I say? He's weird like that. I can't tell him anything. You know, Kagome wanted to kick him between the legs, but I couldn't let her do that. That's just cruel and unusual punishment.

Skitzoflame: Yup, but you know what they say...the best help comes from those that help themselves.


	13. Transferals and the Beginnings of The Mo

Disclaimer: Yeah, I don't own it. I don't know what to tell you guys. It depresses me to no end, but sad to say I can't talk anyone into giving it to me. I can't buy it cause well... (reaches in pocket and pulls out a recipe card, blackjack chip WTF! and a wine bottle opener) Do you think anyone will take this and just give me Sesshoumaru?

Chapter 13: Juromaru's Destruction

She sniffed and opened her eyes slowly, chocolate brown orbs scanning the wall in front of her and her outstretched arm. She pulled the blankets over her naked form, closed her eyes and rolled over, her hand outstretched and reaching for another. Her eyes opened again when she found the remaining space on the little twin bed to be empty then looked up at the bathroom door across from her as the sound of water running touched her fogged senses.

'I wonder what he's doing in there,' she thought to herself as she wrapped the sheet around her and stood up. 'Hopefully he's not staring in the mirror again. He's been doing that a lot lately. I wonder what brought on this sudden fascination with his face.'

Inuyasha plunged his hands in the steaming hot water and splashed his face, the steaming droplets trickling down his face to his jawline while he blindly stumbled for a towel. He quickly dried himself off and stood up, the gray Garden issue towel still covering his face as he steeled himself.

'Come on Inuyasha,' he said to himself as he inhaled the strangely pleasant lemon scent coming from the fluffy material. 'It's just a mirror. You need to stop this. People are going to think you've got some kind of complex.' He sighed, his ears drooping slightly, and dropped the towel. He cracked open one eye, then the other and sighed in relief. "Good," he growled lightly as he raised his bangs away from his forehead. "It's not there. That's a relief." He sagged slightly against the sink's basin, his thoughts centered and far away as the bathroom door creaked open.

"Inuyasha?"

An ear twitched toward the door, then Inuyasha straightened himself and glanced over at Kikyou as she stood in the doorway. A bedsheet was firmly wrapped around her slender figure and her brown eyes shone with worry.

"Inuyasha, what's wrong?"

"Nothing," he grunted absently. He turned off the faucet and moved to walk past her when she raised her arm across the threshold and blocked his path. "Kikyou, come on," he complained wearily. "I don't want to do this right now. It's to early in the frigging morni-"

"What's going on with you?" Kikyou interrupted with a stern look. "And don't say nothing because I can feel your feelings through your mark. What's wrong?" She frowned when he ducked her arm and walked into the room, his intent obviously to ignore her as she followed along behind him. "Inuyasha, I'm serious," she warned while he opened his closet and began to search for something to wear. "I know something's the matter with you. Whatever it is, it didn't start until after the week Kagome and Sesshoumaru disappear-" She stopped when he sighed, his arm coming up to prop against the closet threshold and shoulders sagging despondently. "Inu-Inuyasha?"

Inuyasha looked up when Kikyou gently grasped his forearm, her eyes wide and concerned and her touch comforting. "You really want to know huh?" he asked and wasn't surprised when she nodded. He turned and shut the closet door, then sat down at his desk and plunked Kikyou into his lap. "Ok, I guess I'll admit that I have been acting weird."

"You're telling me," Kikyou agreed. "You're so nervous all of a sudden and you keep looking into mirrors. It's like you've developed some kind of narcissism. Why?"

"It's kind of a long story," Inuyasha warned her. "You sure you want to hear it?"

"Positive."

Inuyasha sighed and scratched his ears. "Fine, but to understand I've got to go back a few thousand years."

"What for?" Kikyou asked and frowned when he placed a clawed finger against her lips.

"I'm getting to that you know," he growled. "So gimme a chance to." He nodded at her apology and quietly gathered his thoughts before beginning. "See, a couple of hundred thousand years ago, the youkai of the world decided to divide Spira into fourths. A certain clan would rule over the youkai of each section and have influence over whatever precious minerals found in the region. The humans of the lands agreed to this so long as the youkai agreed not to interfere with the humans and their way of doing things."

"Is this a history lesson?" Kikyou interrupted suddenly. Inuyasha huffed rolled his eyes. "Hey, don't do that!" he reprimanded irritably. "I'm trying to remember what Sesshoumaru and I learned a few years ago and you're messing with me!"

"Sorry," Kikyou giggled sheepishly. "Keep going."

"Man," Inuyasha continued to gripe. "Now where was I...Oh yeah. Ok. Um...anyway, the youkai of the lands fought it out until there were four clans left standing: the inus, the ookamis, the kitsunes and the panthers. Those four divided the land equally with the panthers getting the east, the inus getting the west, the kitsunes got the south and the ookamis got the north."

"So what you're saying," Kikyou interrupted yet again. "Is that that one time where you and I were at your house and that little flea kept calling you 'lord' and 'master' he actually meant that you're a lord or something?"

"You know, I was just getting to that," Inuyasha grumbled. "But yea, that's pretty much it. Pop's the Galbadia Taiyoukai, Kouga's pop is the Trabia Taiyoukai, one of the panthers that attacked you is heir to the Esthar Taiyoukai and there used to be a Centra Taiyoukai but he and his clan were wiped out during one of the Lunar Cries. No one's bothered to reclaim the south because it's practically a wasteland."

"Oh. Ok then. I understand."

'I'm thrilled,' Inuyasha quipped with a wry grin. "Anyway, like I said, they decided this thousands of years ago, so once everything was squared away and decided the four youkai clans went to a miko by the name of Yuna...Luna...something like that. Anyway, the summoner-"

"Hey, wait a sec," Kikyou interjected. "You said miko earlier. Now its summoner. What's the difference?"

"There isn't one," Inuyasha explained, this time deciding that there wasn't a thing he could do to stop her from interrupting so there wasn't any use to getting mad. "Back then, the only people that could use GFs were called summoners, but those same summoners tended to have purification abilities. Now stop interrupting. You're making me think to damned hard as it is."

"Oh, and we don't want that now do we?" Kikyou teased and squeaked when he poked her in the side. "I'm just kidding, jeez."

"That's what I thought. Now um...oh yeah! They went to this summoner/miko/ whatever to get her help with choosing what symbols and other stuff. They wanted to make sure no one would mistake one leader for another (though how anyone would when they all were different species is beyond me) and figured that summoner would know what to do. She took certain elements that were already on the lands and used them for a guide. And before you ask..." Inuyasha said as Kikyou opened her mouth.

"She used jewel colors found on the land. Galbadia's got mines with sapphires, Trabia's got emeralds, Esthar's got opals-"

"I remember that!" Kikyou chirped.

"And Centra had black and clear diamonds but like I said, everything there was destroyed during one of the Lunar Cries. Anyway, the miko took the jewel and created the seals and the enchantment she put on our blood."

"What enchantment?" Kikyou asked as she fiddled around with a nearby lock of snowy white hair. "And is it a curse or something?"

"It's not a curse," Inuyasha assured her. "We got the sapphire crescent, I think the others got an emerald wind mark, an opal snowflake and a funny diamond. One half was colored black while the other was just outlined in it. Anyway, she put the spells on our bloodline too. The spells are designed so that only the next heir gets the mark. Pop had the blue crescent before he became taiyoukai, his pop had the blue crescent before him and Sesshoumaru has the crescent now. It'll go away once he has a son...or something else happens."

"Like what?" Kikyou whispered softly, fully aware of how drastic Inuyasha's mood had become. "Inuyasha, is it something bad?"

"I've always been told that there would only be two ways for me to get the mark," Inuyasha told her just as softly. "Sesshoumaru has to become either mentally or physically unable to rule. So if he dies..."

"If he dies then you get the mark," Kikyou quickly realized. "Oh Inuyasha, I'm so sorry! No wonder you've been acting funny!"

"Yeah well, you know how Shippou's been moping around, telling everyone that he knew Kagome was still alive and everything. Well with the way everyone's been treating him...I guess I kinda figured that I should just handle it myself."

"You don't ever have to handle anything by yourself," Kikyou lovingly whispered as she embraced him. "I love you and you know that anything that bothers you bothers me too."

"Yeah, I know," Inuyasha nodded as he hugged her back. "It's just that...with Sesshoumaru gone and all, I've been thinking and..."

"Yeah?" Kikyou asked before pulling away to gaze into his face. "Thinking what?"

"That it would really suck if he died and all we ever did was fight. I mean, that's all we've ever done is fight one another. Sure, we fight other people too but we pretty much tried to kill each other whenever we thought we would get away with it." Inuyasha sighed again, this time with a soft laugh and a gentle shake of his head. "I guess it just kinda got old. I'm tired of fighting with him and I don't want my only memory of him to be me goin' for his throat. I'm not fighting him anymore if he comes back. If he wants a fight he'll just have to get one from someone else."

"That's so mature of you Inuyasha," Kikyou grinned before hugging him again. "I'm so proud of you."

"Yea well-" Inuyasha blushed when she kissed the tip of his nose and rubbed hers against it. "Don't tell anyone else ok?"

"Who would I tell?" Kikyou replied with a sly grin. "No one would believe me anyway." She jumped up when he growled and made to chase her but the both of them stopped at a knock on the door.

"Um...what?" Inuyasha hollered and paled when the voice of one of the Garden's staff members came through the metal framework.

"Private Endo? I have an urgent message for you."

"Oh shit!" Inuyasha whispered while Kikyou began to panic. "Look, quit freaking out ok! Um..."

"Gotta hide-Gotta hide-Gotta hide!" Kikyou chanted softly as she looked around the room. Her eyes fell on the closet and she practically pounced on the door, Inuyasha looking on as she dove for the darkness near the floor and slid the door closed behind her.

"Well, that's one way of doing it," Inuyasha growled to himself as he tightened the towel around his hips and cracked the door open. "What!" he barked gruffly and inwardly grinned when the staff member jumped in spite of himself. "What do you want now!"

"I-I have a message for you from Headmaster Leonheart," the staff member replied as he handed over a manilla envelope. "He wants you to meet him in front of the Directory in three hours with enough clothes to last you for four days."

"Fine whatever," Inuyasha growled absently before slamming the door in the staff member's face. He locked the door securely, then placed a nearby chair in front of it before opening the closet door. "It's ok now," he said as she peered up at him from between his jeans. "He's gone."

"So you're leaving?" she asked as she crawled out and shook the dust bunnies out of her hair. Inuyasha nodded and pulled his duffle bag from the closet's confinements. "Yeah, but it's only going to be for four days. I'll be back before you know it."

"Yeah, I know," Kikyou replied with a nod. "How 'bout I help you pack?"

"Sure, why not?" Inuyasha nodded. "That way we can get to breakfast faster. I'm starving!"

II

Violet blue eyes focused on the distance as the sun set above the quiet mountain town, the sky turning various beautiful shades of orange, yellow and purple as the first of thousands of stars began to appear in the rapidly darkening sky. He loved this time of day, when everything and everyone wound down and prepared for the night. He remembered when he first came to this little town after flunking his SeeD exam for the third and final time. His friend -who also scored poorly on the exams- had somehow managed to talk him into moving to this remote part of the world, spinning stories of how the sleepy little town was in need of someone to protect and defend it from the rampaging monsters that plagued it from the cliffs around it. Of course when they arrived they only found a bunch of caterchipillers and bite bugs, but they were a plague on the elderly that resided in the town. He agreed to his friend's harebrained idea to become the town's guardians, their 'monster hunters' and hadn't stopped to look back since. It was here he met his first love and lost his best friend, that schemer of a man who uprooted him from his life at the Garden and deposited him into Paradise.

"Thanks Onigumo," he whispered to a passing breeze. "I'll never forget you my friend." He turned when the door creaked and his wife stepped into the small room, her salt and pepper hair pulled back in a tight top knot and her hands running down her apron as she smiled at him. He remembered her smile too, one that he dreamt about for a long time after their first meeting so many years ago. He had rescued her from a group of caterchipillers and she in turn had clocked him upside the head for using her gratitude to caress her backside. He chuckled softly to himself, attracting the woman's attention to him as she stopped to stare.

"Alright, what is it?" she demanded as she reached for the cane leaning against the door. "It'd better not be anything perverse Kyo."

"Of course not my dear," he assured her with a loving smile. "I was only thinking about the past."

"Sure you were," she drawled with disbelief, then frowned and sat down at a nearby table. "How do you think Miroku's doing?"

"I don't know, but I'm sure the lad is fine," he assured her as he hobbled over to comfort her. He frowned deeply at his lack of grace, cursing the swarm and his inattention that cost him his best friend and the full use of his leg. He sighed, rested his hand on her shoulder and moved to comfort his distraught love when the sound of scuffling and gunfire erupted outside. He bolted from the room, his lack of full speed forgotten as he grasped the cane and quickly stepped outside.

"What's going on here?" he demanded as a group of Galbadian soldiers shoved their way past a pack of pitchfork-wielding farmers. "Who's shooting?"

A soldier dressed in red, obviously a captain, stepped from the back of the lines and cleared his throat. "Here ye here ye," he announced grandly and smirked when the rest of his company laughed. "To all that reside in the good and fair township of Winhill. You are now under New Galbadian occupation and-"

"What's the meaning of this?" Kyo and the group of farmers from earlier interrupted. "You can't come here and do this! Winhill is a part of Esthar, not Galbadia!"

"It doesn't matter now does it cripple," the captain smirked before kicking Kyo's cane from underneath him. Kyo crumpled to the ground with a sharp cry from his wife, who was quickly restrained by a farmer while another attempted to come to his aid. The captain quickly set his boot on Kyo's chest, withdrew a pistol and aimed it in the farmer's direction. "You just try it hick," he growled as he unlocked the gun's safety.

"You can't do this!" Kyo croaked as the captain's boot shifted from his chest to hold at his throat. "You can't just come in and take over! We'll fight you!"

The captain's grin only widened, the dark sadistic smirk promised pain and suffering mirrored his master and president. "If you want to fight then go ahead," he growled as fangs slowly grew where normal canines once were.

"I seriously hope you do."

III

Shippou gazed out the back seat window, his mind distant and troubled as he watched the sun rise to greet the day. This was the second and final leg of their journey with the headmaster, with Sango in the passenger seat beside the headmaster, Inuyasha and Miroku in the seat behind them and Shippou in the very last seat in the back. Shippou remained quiet for most of the trip, with his thoughts centered on the strange feelings coming from his right arm.

'I hope she's alright,' he thought to himself as he remembered the pain that used to be among her feelings. The pain had subsided gradually with time, though he still caught bouts of it along with her anger. 'No doubt at being injured,' Shippou quipped with a sad smile. 'She's never been the one to do helpless.'

"Hey Ship."

Shippou tore his gaze away from the beautiful pastel streets of Esthar to Inuyasha, who just barely peeked over the back of his seat. "Yeah, what?" Shippou whispered softly, mindful of the others as they slept around them. "What do you want now?"

"Hey, I just wanted to say that I'm...um...well..." Inuyasha cursed and scratched an ear, then said, "I'm sorry ok. About not sticking up for you about Kagome."

"It's cool," Shippou brushed aside with a wave of his hand. "Don't worry about it. I know the others don't exactly believe me and for me to expect them to would be way too much."

"Yeah well, I just wanted to say sorry," Inuyasha replied. "And I wanted you to know that I know they're alive too."

"For real?" Shippou questioned, his brows furrowed softly in confusion. "How?"

"Well um...you see..." Inuyasha proceeded to tell Shippou about Sesshoumaru's mark and what would happen should anything befall the missing Endo captain. Shippou drank the information in quietly, the furrow in his brow deepening while Inuyasha continued to explain.

"So let me get this straight," Shippou whispered quietly as he leaned toward Inuyasha. "You're telling me that you've known they were alive the entire time? But you never **said** anything?"

"I wanted to but I couldn't be sure," Inuyasha defended himself. "Besides, I didn't think it-" His eyes widened in surprise when Shippou vaulted over the seat, his sense only returning to him when the kitsune's fingers wrapped themselves around his throat.

"You didn't tell anyone," Shippou growled furiously as he choked the life from his hanyou friend. "You let them think I was crazy and for what? Just because you couldn't be sure?"

Their struggles woke the other occupants, with Sango's gasp of surprise coming first before Miroku's shout for him to stop. Miroku grasped Shippou's mid section and tugged furiously. Sango quickly vacated her seat in the front to help him and soon the two humans managed to get the much stronger youkai away from Inuyasha.

"Jeez you stupid bastard!" Inuyasha croaked as Shippou struggled to get free without hurting Miroku and Sango. "You could have killed me you know!"

"I was **trying** to kill you you fucking coward!" Shippou snarled back. "You let everyone think I was nuts when all you had to do was _tell us _what Sesshoumaru's mark meant!"

"What's going on?" Miroku demanded angrily. "I was having a particularly good dream-"

"Most likely about something perverse," Sango quipped to herself.

"And I don't appreciate waking up to a fight!" Miroku finished. "Now what's going on? Inuyasha, what's Shippou talking about?"

"Oh, so it's automatically my fault is it?" Inuyasha snapped bitterly. "Hey, I was the one that was attacked, remember?"

"It is entirely too early for this..."

Everyone froze, then turned to the front and watched with some alarm as the headmaster's light hair shifted from behind the driver's seat. "Shippou you should calm down, unless you plan on choking me too."

"Huh?" Sango replied in confusion while Shippou gawked in shock. "What's going on? What's everybody talking about?"

"We're talking about the survival of your previous teammates," Squall answered. He sniffed and shifted again, this time with the shock of brown hair disappearing all together before he turned around and propped himself up against the steering wheel. "This is what I love about Esthar technology," he said to himself as the scenery continued to streak past. "Auto-pilot is such a wonderful thing."

"Headmaster?" Sango respectfully interrupted. "What are you talking about? I thought you said Kagome and Sesshoumaru were dead."

"I never said they were dead," Squall corrected her. "I said we couldn't find them, not that they were dead. Inuyasha's enough proof of Sesshoumaru's existence at least, and I have no doubt that Kagome is alive as well."

"They are! Oh my God that's great!" Sango exclaimed happily. "Shippou, you were right!"

"I know," Shippou growled gravely. "But how long have you known Headmaster?"

"I've known for about a month now," Squall answered simply. He wasn't exactly surprised by the disbelieving looks they gave him, nor their outrage at not being told beforehand.

"Is that what this mission is about?" Inuyasha asked. "Are we finally going to get to find them?"

"Not possible."

"And why not?" Shippou demanded. "Are we just going to let them sit out there and rot when we can do something?"

"We're not going to find them because they can't be found!" Squall stopped, cleared his throat and collected his temper. "Forgive me. I know you all are frustrated. Unfortunately, we can't afford to waste any more manpower when we've exhausted all attempts."

"Why don't you try telling us what happened?" Shippou countered with a barely suppressed growl. "And I'm Kagome's family remember? So you can share it with us."

"Fine," Squall agreed. "I'm planning to send their parents edited copies of the report anyway."

"We don't want an 'edited copy'," Shippou assured him after shaking off Miroku's hands. "We want to know what happened."

"And I'll tell you but you must keep calm," Squall replied sternly. "Getting angry isn't going to solve anything."

"Fine," Shippou nodded stiffly, though inside he was anything but calm and collected. He felt like a fool for his insisting, remembering not only the pity in the others eyes but the feelings of helplessness that constantly shrouded him. "Please, go on Headmaster."

"Thank you." Squall paused a moment to think and collect his thoughts before continuing. "A team was selected and sent out by the Garden two days after the crash. We accompanied the Esthar technicians in charge of their airship program and set out to retrieve what information we could that would help with the search. We found the Ragnork 40 kilometers outside of Galbadia's southern coast, well aware from Galbadia's airspace. We towed the Ragnork to Fisherman's Horizon where the technicians proceeded to drain the ship and look for damage.

"The ship's hull was riddled with holes, both from gunfire and from rockets that apparently were the results of a full on attack," Squall said and paused to check the other's reaction. Other than Sango's pale face and Shippou's shaking hands, there was no sign that the little group would fall apart. Miroku reached over and grasped Sango's hand in reassurance, patted Shippou's shoulder and urged Squall to continue.

"The ship's cargo bay and loading dock was completely destroyed, apparently from some kind of massive explosion. The catwalk to the Air Room was still intact but the one to the cargo bay was lost as well. The control room was pretty much intact except for what looked to have been a small fire and some broken glass but the passenger deck was completely unharmed. There we found they're luggage and belongings but no-"

"Excuse me?" Sango interrupted suddenly. "But I'm wondering..."

"Yes?"

"Did you find a train case?"

"A what?" Inuyasha exclaimed. "What do you want to know that for?"

"Don't you remember Kagome's train case?" Sango asked as Shippou's face lit up. "You know, it's only so big and it's a powder blue with that cross emblem that's on the back of her coat? That one. You know she never leaves anywhere without it."

"She never went anywhere without her com phone either," Miroku replied softly. "So we can't be sure-"

"I don't remember a blue train case in the recovery report," Squall admitted. "I do remember a pink phone-like device-"

"Kagome's com phone," Shippou said with a nod.

"But I don't remember a train case. Would it have been inside one of the black duffle bags?"

"No," Sango shook her head. "It was _waaaayyyy_ too big for that. She kept her ammo, extra potions and ammo packs in it."

"You know what that means right?" Shippou said suddenly. "It means she's alive! It has too! You know Kagome and her ammo packs!"

"There was also some structural damage done to the door to the Air Room catwalk," Squall said next. He smiled at Shippou's excitement, this being the first time in a month since the kit truly smiled. "A large hole was melted though the door with a corrosive substance."

"Sesshoumaru's poison," Inuyasha whispered, then looked up with a smile of his own. "Then they're alive?"

"It's what we believe," Squall nodded. "We found no trace of their remains and both gunblades are missing as well."

"So they're alive!" Shippou exclaimed happily, his tail reappearing from it's cloaking spell to wag happily beside him. "So when are they coming home?"

The mood sobered when Squall looked away, the indecision in his eyes and scent enough to calm the excited atmosphere. "We don't exactly know," Squall replied after a moment's silence. "We found their landing point on Northern Centra. There were large amounts of old and dried blood, Sesshoumaru's from what the trackers said, and extreme amounts of youki."

"Then he transformed?" Shippou asked and Squall nodded again. "We believe that he may have been injured during the escape or sometime after it-"

"But Kagome was injured too!" Shippou interjected. "She's still recovering, I think!"

"You're the only one who knows that," Squall told him. "As far as the trackers were concerned she was slow when they decided to leave, but she was able to move about on her own."

'Only because Kagome's stubborn as hell,' Shippou thought with a wry smile. 'That's the Kagome I remember.'

"The trackers followed their trail for a couple of days then it ended just 8 kilometers away of their mission target." Squall sighed at their confused glances. "We...can't find them."

"So what are you going to do?" Shippou asked. "When are you going to send the next team out?"

"I'm not going to send another team," Squall told him, his hand raised in an attempt to stall Shippou's anger. "The Garden has decided that we can't afford to send another team with Deling and his soldiers still plaguing the world. The last free village, Winhill, was taken yesterday."

"Was anyone hurt?" Miroku asked. He sighed in relief and sank against the seat when the headmaster shook his head.

"As you all can see, we've had to divert all of our attention toward defense and, unfortunately, that makes Kagome and Sesshoumaru a secondary problem. We can only hope that they're someplace safe."

"Then what are we doing here?" Sango asked. "Esthar hasn't received any reports about Galbadian solders."

"No, not yet but we do believe that now that Deling has control of the rest of the world, his next targets will be Fisherman's Horizon and Esthar. You're going to be stationed in Esthar-"

"For real!" Inuyasha exclaimed then blushed when everyone turned to him. "Oh. Um...sorry."

"Well," Squall said before clearing his throat. "As I was saying, you're going to be stationed on the left side of Esthar. We're going to the Airstation now to pick up your new captain."

"Hey, isn't that the station now?" Sango asked as they veered a sharp left and approached a large blue hanger. Squall nodded and proceeded to turn off the auto-pilot, any questions as to who their new captain would be either forgotten or held for another time as Headmaster Leonheart parked near the front of the entranceway and stepped outside.

"Now where is he?" he muttered to himself as he watched the crowd walk past him. Shippou and the others got out as well, with Inuyasha, Sango and Miroku moving to stand beside the headmaster while Shippou sat on the hood of the car.

'I guess the headmaster's right,' he said to himself while they continued to wait. 'I mean, we don't know where Kagome is, so to send a bunch of people after her without knowing exactly would be kinda pointless. But if he would only let **me** go, I could find her! I just know I can!'

"Hey Shippou?"

Shippou looked up, his thoughts swirling in his emerald green eyes as Sango looked on in concern. "You ok?"

"Yeah," Shippou nodded before rubbing his chin. "I'm fine. Sorry, I'm just-"

"I understand," Sango told him with a quiet smile. "And I know you're frustrated. Believe me, no one wants to get out there and find Kagome more than I do, but-"

"The headmaster's right," Shippou finished for her and sighed. "Yeah, I know but it's hard and I...miss her."

"I miss her too," Sango said as she reached out to hug him. Shippou hesitated, but soon hugged her back, his tail remaining limply at his side as he loosely embraced his long time friend. "Don't worry," Sango said next when she let him go. "Knowing Kagome, it's Sesshoumaru we should be worried about." They both heartily laughed at Sesshoumaru's expense as they remembered how hyperactive their friend could be.

"Thanks Sango," Shippou breathed as he wiped a tear from his eye. "I really needed th-"

"Oh no way!"

They turned just as Inuyasha was storming up the Airstation ramp, watching the hanyou as his fists curled at his sides and his ears stood straight at attention. "There's no fucking way!" he shouted while ignoring the shocked and frightened faces of the others in the crowd. "What the fuck are you doing here!"

"There's only one person he talks to like that," Sango said as Miroku ran up the ramp to calm Inuyasha down. "Man, this is gonna be rough."

Kouga walked past Inuyasha, ignoring him completely as he readjusted his duffle bag and walked down the remainder of the ramp to the headmaster. "Good morning sir," Kouga greeted with a salute. "Captain Bravaldi reporting for du-"

"Oh no WAY!" Inuyasha bellowed as he returned to the car. "Don't tell me he's our new captain!"

Squall nodded and frowned at Inuyasha's angry growl. "You may not like it Private, but you're assigned to Captain Bravaldi now so be sure to follow his orders. Now if you'll excuse me." He opened the trunk and pulled out a pair of duffle bags of his own. "I'm on my way to FH. Kouga, I'm leaving you in charge of them...um...isn't there another with you?"

"Oh yeah, she's coming," Kouga answered before waving a nonchalant hand toward the Airstation. "She's as slow as molasses but she'll get here."

"Good. Now I must be going. Be sure to advise the Garden staff to call me if any problems arise."

"Alright Headmaster," Sango called as she, Shippou and Miroku waved goodbye. "Be careful!" Sango sighed as they watched him go, the moments of peace that surrounded him quickly dissipating once he disappeared behind the beautiful glass doors. She jumped at an unexpected growl and turned around to find Inuyasha and Kouga already at each other's throats.

"So Dog-breath," Kouga began as he leaned against the side of the car. "Where's your pops? I heard he's been missing since this whole war started. Don't tell me he's hiding. Tisk, tisk, tisk." Kouga shook his head pityingly and smirked. "I always knew you inu youkai were cowards."

"Now just one second Kouga," Miroku said before Inuyasha could think of a comeback. "From what we've heard, Galbadia isn't the only youkai-run nation that Deling controls. Where is _your_ father now that Trabia's no longer his?"

"Eh, what do you know?" Kouga brushed off before Inuyasha laughed. "My pops is somewhere safe."

"And so's mine so just back off Wolf-Bait," Inuyasha growled. Kouga answered with a growl of his own and quickly made to lunge and Inuyasha. A lightening bolt struck the ground between them before a blow could be passed and a voice interrupted them just as they were beginning to bark out insults.

"Kouga, why don't you stop being an ass?" a feminine voice called out as the smoke from the thunderbolt cleared. Shippou saw through the dust just as a young female youkai approached them, an extremely cross look reflecting in her hazel brown eyes. Her mouth seemed set in an natural pout and her fangs, pointed ears and slight claws were the only hints of her species. She stood a good foot below his 5' 11" and her white SeeD uniform and her pigtails gave her an air of childlike innocence...

Until she caught him staring.

"Do you have an eye problem?" she quickly growled at him as she shoved him aside to reach the trunk. Shippou moved easily enough, though he found himself stunned at the level of hostility rolling from her in tangible waves.

"No," he answered after a second's silence. "I don't. Why?"

"Well stop staring," she snapped before wacking Kouga upside the head. "And you," she said with one hand on her hip and the other finger viciously wagging in Kouga's direction. "You stop starting trouble. We're here to protect this city, not for you to get into brawls with everyone. What did Ayame tell you?"

"Eheh, it's not even like that," Kouga nervously chuckled as he rubbed the new sore spot on his head. "Um, this is Sotan Lucis, my second. She went with me when we searched Centra for Kagome and Sesshoumaru. Um...sorry we didn't find them."

"Don't be," Miroku replied. "We've come to understand that something may have happened that is preventing them from being found."

"We can only hope that this war ends soon," Sango said, her head lowered slightly as she struggled to blink back her tears. "That way we can try to find them ourselves."

"Hey, I'm definitely going with you for that one," Kouga vowed. "After all, Kagome _is_ my woman."

"Kagome is not your woman!" Inuyasha and Shippou venomously reminded him. They growled when Kouga ignored them and repeated themselves, only to have Kouga disagree.

"I claimed Kagome when she was 13," Kouga boasted proudly. "So of course she's my woman!"

"You can't just claim her like some kind of watch!" Shippou argued back. "Kagome has to make her own decision and so far you've been-"

"Rejected!" Inuyasha interjected with an evil grin. "But that's just like you wimp, to try to force a girl to mat-"

"Hey, can you guys shut up a second?" Sotan growled as she turned toward the Airstation ramp-way. "Do you hear that?" Everyone strained their ears, each searching for any sign of a disturbance when the glass doors slid open and dozens of passengers ran screaming from inside. "Hey!" Sotan called as the panicked crowd ran past her. "Hey, what's going on?"

"It's Galbadia!" one passenger stopped to shout as the others knocked her around. "They somehow managed to land at the Airstation and they're coming this way!"

"Well people, that's our sign," Kouga said as he tightened the straps on his gloves and cracked his knuckles. "Let's go to work." Sango and Miroku quickly scrambled for their rifles and followed the others inside.

"OK, Sango and Miroku, you two stay here," Kouga said as he pointed toward the entranceway doors. "If anyone from Galbadia tries to get through, you shoot them on sight."

"Gotcha!" Sango said as she and Miroku took their places and loaded their weapons.

"The rest of you follow me and Sotan-"

"Yeah, I know," the hazel-eyed youkai said as she un-strapped a pair of blue nunchaku from her back. They quickly jumped into the fray with Inuyasha the first to strike when he leapt over Kouga's head to slice through the leg of a nearby Galbadian soldier.

Shippou jerked another soldier off the ground and smashed his fist into his nose. He felt almost sorry for the poor guy when he shrieked in pain but lost all humane thoughts when the soldier drew a pistol. Shippou hit him again, this time in the abdomen before ducking when a subtle whistle alerted him to trouble behind him.

He jumped up and growled just as the end of the weapon returned to Sotan, who merely shrugged and walloped the nearest soldier over the head when Shippou glared at her. Inuyasha's loud cry was the next to follow and with it came a cry of "That makes 8 so far Kouga!"

"I'm on ten half-breed!" Kouga shouted after kicking though a soldier's kneecap. "You're such a slow-ass!"

"I'll show you-"

"Guys!" Sango called from the back. "I think we might have a problem."

Shippou turned around and flinched at the swarms of Galbadian troops swarming to get _inside_ the Airstation, not trying to get out as the other suspected. Sango kicked one of the soldiers in Miroku's direction then punched another in the jaw as Miroku smashed the butt of his rifle into the trooper's chin.

"Shoot them!" Kouga hollered as he flipped his opponent over his head.

"We can't!" Sango cried out when one of the soldier's punched her in the stomach. She winced and stumbled back, her hand to her stomach as the troopers began to pour in faster. "There's too many of them!" She grabbed the opposite end of her gun and swung it like a club, proceeding to clip up three soldiers. More soldiers tripped over the fallen soldiers but it wasn't nearly enough to slow down the throngs struggling to get past them.

"Shit!" Kouga hissed. "Hey Sotan-"

"Already on it!" she hollered as she ran to him. "You guys get ready!"

"Inuyasha! You and the kit get over here now!"

Inuyasha growled, but quickly jogged over to Kouga and Sotan, leaving Shippou the last to arrive as another soldier attempted to pounce on him from behind. Shippou quickly countered with a Blizzara spell, watching only momentarily as a thin pillar of ice surrounded the surprised soldier before stopping in front of Kouga.

"What?" Inuyasha growled testily. "It was just getting good."

"We've got to defend Sotan," Kouga said before turning toward the enemy. "But you've got to move toward the other side of the Airstation when I say. Oh. Oh yeah! Hey Sango!"

"Yeah?"

"Grab the pervert and get over here!"

There was no time to wait for the last two members as the Galbadian soldiers attacked them, this time with a newfound vigor as the other soldiers that Sango and Miroku were trying to detain finally made their way into the station. Shippou quickly cast a Haste spell on himself, taking only a second to feel his adrenalin jump before casting Protect spells on the party.

"Thanks kit," Kouga bothered to say before slicing his claws through the thick hide of a dragon soldier. "Check on Sotan."

Shippou turned and found her with her hands in the air, her round face upturned and her eyes closed as a gigantic ball of crackling lightening formed above her. "Hey Kouga," he hollered as the wind began to pick up around them. "What the hell is she doing?"

Kouga glanced over his shoulder and cursed, then quickly dropped his opponent and gave the order to retreat. "Ok let's go!" he shouted.

"But what about Sotan?" Sango hollered when Kouga picked her up and gestured for Inuyasha to do the same for Miroku.

"Don't worry about her. Let's go!"

Shippou swiftly followed the older males but stopped when some inner sense told him to look back. He turned around and watched as a Galbadian soldier attempted to sneak up on Sotan from behind. He ran back without a second thought and snap kicked the soldier in the side, sending him skidding across the floor toward the rest of his company as Shippou came to a stop in front of her.

"I got this," Sotan huffed when she finally opened her eyes. "You'd better get out of here."

"You keep going," Shippou hollered back. "I've got you covered."

"Ok," Sotan relented. "But it's your funeral!"

Shippou lowered his head and began collecting his energy, his feet more than shoulder-length apart as his claws began to glow a fierce baby blue. The soldiers around them attempted their onslaught again and were instantly reflected by a burst of purple.

'What the hell was that?' Shippou wondered when his right arm began to glow the same purple as the line quickly circling them.

"Hey, you ready?" Sotan called out, effectively breaking him away from his thoughts. Shippou nodded and together they released their ki. Shippou's rocketed away from him first, the baby blue flames of magic incinerating the troopers on contact. Sotan dropped her lightening ball next and between the two energies an enormous gray cloud blew up between the two youkai and the army surrounding them.

Shippou coughed dryly and waved his hand, both to clear the air so he could breathe and to see as he searched for any signs of danger. "Woah," he finally whispered when the dust settled. The soldiers around them were completely gone, with little left of them but a few guns, a couple of boots and a discarded helmet.

"Damn."

He turned to congratulate Sotan but stopped when she wavered on her feet. "I think I overdid it," she whispered as her eyes rolled back. He knees gave way underneath her and she pitched forward into unconsciousness. Shippou reached out and caught her just as Kouga and the others returned, each in varying states of awe and amazement as Shippou scooped up his fallen comrade.

"Man," Kouga said as he surveyed the damage. He whistled when a large piece of tile fell from the ceiling and jumped back before it could fall on his head. "You guys did some real damage. Not bad."

Shippou accepted the compliment graciously but his attention was soon re-directed when Sotan shifted in his arms. He blushed when her head came to rest on his shoulder and her hand moved to rest on the other side, her nose slightly poking into the soft flesh at his neck. He quickly averted his eyes and turned to the destruction around them, completely unaware of Sango's knowing look as she smiled at him before whopping a certain pervert upside the head for his wandering hands.

(End Chapter)

SF: Hey, check it out! Shippou's got a new crush!

Shippou: But why does it have to be Sotan! I HATE that girl!

Sotan: Well it's not like I like you either!

SF: Hey! You two better NOT get started! I swear, actors these days! As a matter of fact, it's not you two but older versions of you two. So you can stop arguing.

Inu-chan: Go easy on them will ya? They're just kids.

SF: (...) Um...Inu-chan? Did **you** just say that?

Inu-chan: Hell yeah! Stop bitching at them already!

Zap! 

SF: (Inu-chan coughs up smoke) What have I told you about cursing in front of the kids?

Shippou: Um, Guardian-san?

SF: Yes dear?

Shippou: Um...when do you want to do the summary?

Sotan: I want to do one! Can I do one!

SF: Maybe next week ok? I promised Shippou this week.

Sotan: Awww...ok then.

SF: Beautiful. OK Shippou. Give it to em.

Shippou: (transforming into fiction version of self) It's a month after Kagome and Sesshoumaru were stranded in that strange place, and things are starting to go well for the two. They still have no idea where they are, nor how to get out but that seems like minor details compared to the luxury they're exposed to now. But just because they're stuck doesn't mean they're idle, with Sesshoumaru still working on a way out and Kagome learning something new from the simulation. Plus there's the budding attraction between the two and a discovery that may just be their key to escaping.

Next chapter: Chapter Fourteen: Finding the Black Dragon

(Reviews!)

Fanfiction:

Crystal jade2, Ruby27, baka-onna2003, inupupluvr, inudemoness247, Duzzie, Dragon Rae, Choyan, LynLin, Inu Yokai, Larka the White Wolf, sessywuver, BlueMonkey89, sakurakitsune14, migele, and Aya-Rei: Thanks so much you guys! Another chapter's on the way!

Strawberrylover: Ah, brilliant question. If I answer that, that would rob ART of answering it himself in the next chapter. Oh well. You're guess was right though. His system had to be charged in order for him to operate his holographic controls.

Lady Banshee 999: Hey, no prob. I can't believe I forgot who asked. And that was just a couple of seconds before I typed out your review. I feel like a dope. lol. You know, you're not the only person to say that. My beta tells me that all the time. Am I truly so sneaky as you all seem to think...yeah. I am! ) I thought about making the necklace pink, but I just didn't seem to fit. Besides, Juromaru's rosary is pink...I think. It's in the family with pink. Nope, Kagome nor ART removed the necklace. He saw it and wanted to hold it, though how a cybernetic creature would want to hold anything is a tiny glitch in the story's programing. Ow well. You're right again. Sesshou can't telepathically contact anyone who isn't within a certain distance, especially with his youki drained the way it is. It's gonna take some time to get it back to the way it was, so don't expect him to do any flipping and flying around anytime soon. Kagome's necklace is just a necklace...you don't believe that do you? lol. Well what can I tell you? If I said anything, it would take away from the surprise that's in...seven or so chapters. I promise it's worth the wait though! Inu and Kagome are just friends. They never did the blood thing that she and Shippou did. As you can see, that Blood Pact is starting to have some effects on our dear Shippou. Wonder if he knows...Kagome's going to explain her experience with needles too, and it's not as dramatic as you're thinking. I promise though, nothing about this story is predictable. At least I hope so. lol. Anyway, thanks for all the questions. I just love questions.

Blue Vampire: (blush) Well I'm glad you think I'm doing an alright job. I've read some really bad ones too, but there are so many good ones that you can't give up the hope. There's a new author called Rinseternalsoul that's really good, along with CiraArana and Zanirilla to name a few. Lol. I'll get right on Second Chance. As a matter of fact, I had a bit of writer's block for that story before something knocked it loose. Can't remember what exactly, but I'm glad it's gone! So I should be finished with that chapter in a few days.

silentsyn-: (blush) Thanks for the creativity vote! I totally appreciate it! I do try after all, to give you something that you won't normally find...ok, I don't try but the Cheetoz do. What can I tell you? Inu and Kago are going to be buddy-buddy again, promise! I can't let those two stay mad at each other forever. That's just not right. As you can see, Shippou's met someone cute and ...well, maybe not foxy, but sure as hell feisty! There will be more action scenes with Kagome in the near future, along with Sango, Miroku, Kouga, Shippou and the rest of the gang. Kikyou even gets her own though it's more of a practice one.

Baybe-Dinez: Thanks so much for reviewing! Hey, I'm honored to be the first person you've reviewed in such a long time. I hope you still think I'm worth it once the story gets rolling. I tend to veer off the beaten pathway and it sometimes gets me into trouble. I've read lots of K/ S fics like that too. I totally hate it when that happens. You're always like 'WTF?' when it ends cause it's so disappointing. Well I hope not to disappoint you in the end. And I can't blame you for the monk love. There's something about his charm that's just ...well...ahem. I'd better stop before Sesshou gets jealous over there. (points to Sesshou, who's tied to a rocking chair with a horse bit in his mouth) Yeah, I've got a real sick sense of humor. Anything with pink hair or organ removal I'm all over. I'm not going to make Kikyou evil. As a matter of fact, I'm trying to talk my remaining muse out of tortuing her. That girl is so violent sometimes. Jeez.

flying jade: Man, you're the second one. I'm so flattered. Glad you like the story so much!

dark ruler: Hey, thanks for the advice! I told her that but I don't think it did any good. Oh well. ART knows about the antidote because ART knows Sesshoumaru's grandfather, who pretty much had the same acid attack and the same antidote.

AngelWing1138: Um, please don't do that. My brother would pay big bucks to see you do it, but I'm just not a believer in that kind of thing. Don't worry. I update worm-free!

ivei: Nope. That language is something the wonderful minds at SquareSoft (or SquareEnix, whichever) came up with for the FFX and FFX-2 series. This fic is becoming a real meld of those three FFs. Let me know if you want the link to the site where I get my translations from.

Thesta: Hey, no prob. You're close though. Yup, the GF that replaces Odin is Gilgamesh. He was my fave because he showed up a fat lot more than Odin with his finicky tail Oh, ahem, don't worry. Kagome wasn't experimented on. But I don't blame her for being scared. I hate needles too.

Diana Artemis Silvermoon: The relationship between Shippou and Kagome is purely a brother/ sister thing, though Shippou wouldn't mind if it were more. You know what? I'm going to go with your explanation on ART cause it sounds right. I know nothing about computers, so the ability to explain ART is beyond me. You're first description seems pretty right though, so that's what I'm going with. As for the necklace, why does everyone think there's something special about it? If I told you it was just a necklace would you believe me? No? Well I don't blame you. Um...Sesshou's saliva is actually from another story, though now I can't remember which one. Glad you liked it though. I thought it was funny too when I read it!

Helena: (blush) I've never been a goddess before. Just wait till I tell my cousin. That'll teach him, the prick. Oh ahem sorry about that. Ah, as for your questions. Let's see here: Oh, yup, that's exactly what Sesshou being a taiyoukai means though he's not one yet. What makes you think Kagome's parents found her? Not to be rude by answering a question with another question, but I just have to know. To ART, Kagome's necklace is nothing more than that. Shippou's got a huge crush on his longtime best friend, but that crush is going to subside as another comes along. Yup, Kagome's going to talk to her parents before the fics over. Hey, thanks for the questions! I just love questions!

NoLabel: Crap. I just knew I forgot something. Um, I meant Mug. Sorry. I get confused between games. I can't help it. Um...if you think ART is mean now, just wait until the coming chapters. Trust me, this program is one that's determined to get things done.

Yume no Zencho: Oh yeah! Sesshou and no shirt! Hey, I'm working on that. ART will explain that in the next chapter. There's a whole thing behind it that has to deal with the culture in ART's time. You're having trouble finding Esthar? Hey, I've got a great tip for you. Finding Esthar is simple if you keep going straight. Just go toward that salt lake when you leave the FH train tracks, then keep going straight again as you go further into it. You should come to a little intersection. Go to the left. If you're in the right place, an undead creature should pop up from some canyon and try to beat the snot out of you. Keep going straight again after you beat the mud off it and stop when you get to the next screen. A hexagon should flash in the middle of the screen. Just have Squall touch it and he'll climb up an invisible ladder. There's your way into Esthar! I know, it's crap they way they hid it. I thought that too the last eight times I tried to find it. I've never gotten that chochobo so I'm in the same boat as you. lol.

Dark Neko-chan: Hey, are you feeling better? I've been worried about you. I hope so. Anyway, Sesshou's inner beast is going to make more than one decision on Sesshou's part, that much I can promise! Oh, and Zap! (Inu-chan coughs up smoke) Thought I'd give you a little gift!

Skitzoflame: Ah-ah-ah. I'm not telling just yet. Don't worry. Kagome's going to tell you that in the next chapter.

Ashika: Oh no dear heart. Goodness, don't give a girl a heart-attack. No, there are 24 chapters in all, not 24 more to go. I don't think I could survive it. I am reading Lavender's story and I wanted to cry too. I was really unhappy about it but hey, I was right as rain when she updated! And of course I have reason for the secrecy! I tend to try and make my secrets juicy too, so the wait should be well worth it!

OOF: Kagome will tell Sesshoumaru about the needles in the next chapter, along with a few other things about herself.

Row: Nope. See, the ART that came from the library is the main ART, or the main hospitality hologram. The other ARTs (and there will be a lot of them) are branches of the same program. Think of them like ...I don't know...clones or something. Shippou can't exactly track her cause of Kagome's blood. Um...I don't know to be honest. Second Chance, Unexpected Allies and To Bear Witness won last year, so I think I'm just happy to be nominated. I think whichever you readers decide is good is the one I want to win.

ReginaLucifer: I know it. It's sick and sad the way Mom does me. (sniff) I didn't remember L saying that until you said something. lol. I wouldn't mind seeing him prance though. Oh! (slaps hand) Bad thoughts SF! BAD! Yeah, she's not exactly logical but she's afraid of them. I'll be honest: I'm that stupid too. lol. You know, I'm starting to think that Sesshou's going to be a real trip once they go back, don't you?

Jade Catseye: (blush) Thanks so much. I'm such a nerd when it comes to the game, so I couldn't help but combine it and my fave anime. Inuyasha's going to behave himself the next time he sees her, though I doubt that will go over well with Sesshou.

Wake-Robin: Can't tell you about Kagome and the needles just yet. Don't worry though cause that question and a few others will be answered in the next chapter.

Kitty: Don't worry. As you're reading this, I'm typing away at Second Chance.

ShindyNova: Don't worry. I love questions. The site I'm using is calle the Final Fantasy Insider (I think) and it has the best Al Bhed translations so far. No prob about the updating. I was pretty much twiddling my thumbs anyway. That and hiding from Mom. She was like some sort of deadly machine when I coughed. It was ridiculous.

aznchicki: You said it! I've beaten one puzzle, and that's because I have the stradgy guide. lol. I wish I could beat it for you, but I can't. I can give you a hint though. Rinoa has two Limit Breaks called Invincible Moon and Wishing Star that makes it well worth the effort to keep her alive.

LtSonya: lol. Glad you liked it. Hey, how many stories are out there like this one? lol.

Mediaminer:

Farren F., Aitu,iceapparition17, and luciferangel: Thanks so much for reviewing. I promise another chapter's on the way!


	14. Finding the Black Dragon

Disclaimer: Yeah, I don't own it. I'm telling you, it depresses the hell out of me too. I don't know what to say. Oh, and this isn't an update per say. It's more like fixing the glaring errors I found when I went back and read the chapter. I really should start doing that more often.

Chapter Fourteen: Finding the Black Dragon

I

"One..."

Wheeze...

"Two..."

Pant...Cough...

"Three...Whew," Kagome said as she wiped the sweat from her brow. "Man, that thing sucks. Next time remind me to let Sesshoumaru do that."

"I suggested that, remember?" ART commented jovially as Kagome closed the door to his recharging console. "But if I remember correctly, you said-" Kagome blinked as her voice suddenly replaced his, her higher nuances and tones disconcerting and rather odd on this obviously male specimen. "Sesshoumaru's not the only one who can recharge you. Why does he get to do it every week?"

"Well," Kagome grumbled as she turned her back to him and began to climb up the ladder to the upper floor. "You could have tried a little harder to talk me out of it."

ART extended a hand to help her up the last rung, having appeared already at the top floor without having to climb. "Yes, well, I've learned not to disagree with determined females," he said and laughed when Kagome pouted. "How is your ankle this morning?"

"It's actually a lot better," Kagome said before shifting her weight on it completely. She grinned when it held, all traces of weakness and pain gone as she stood there. "See? I'm better already."

"That you may be, but I still don't want you applying too much pressure to it."

"Yes doctor," Kagome grumbled as she left the library. She quickly made her way back to the third floor, her mind completely focused on the shower she intended to take. She meant to take one earlier that morning but ART's rapid system shut down became a more urgent of a concern. She couldn't understand where Sesshoumaru was during all this, especially since he normally performed ART's weekly recharges, but figured that if Sesshoumaru could do it so easily then she could too. She never expected for the recharging lever to be so gosh-darned heavy and neither did her muscles as they screamed in protest.

'But hey, I did it!' Kagome congratulated herself as she walked through the dojo and into the showers. She left ART standing by the locker room entrance but retraced her steps when he called out to her.

"Yes ART," Kagome said as she stuck her head out the door. ART passed her a package wrapped in red plastic. "What's this?"

"It's something I found in the laundry room," ART replied with a mischievous smile. Kagome recognized that smile from spending so much time with the program and groaned miserably. 'Who knew computer programs had a bad side?'

"Don't worry Kagome," ART told her with a smile that was more affectionate than the last. "It's nothing bad. I saw it and thought you would like it."

"It's not a skirt is it?" Kagome inquired incredulously with a glare toward the package in question. ART laughed and shook his head. "No, I'm well aware of your dislike for skirts. I don't understand it though. One would think that with legs as long as yours, that you would want to show them off."

"If I didn't know better ART, I'd swear you were coming on to me," Kagome joked before disappearing behind the steel gray door. She sat the package on a nearby bench and turned on one of the shower heads before shedding her worn clothes and tossing them down the laundry chute. She stepped underneath the shower head and rubbed the soap between her hands. She switched from the jasmine scented soap to an unscented version after ART suggested that Sesshoumaru might be sensitive to the scented soap she was previously using. She hadn't noticed anything different on his part but figured it better to be safe than sorry.

'Besides,' Kagome said to herself as she tossed the empty bottle of shower gel into the trash and shampooed her hair. 'Shippou always said that my natural scent was nice. Kouga used to say that too, not that his opinion matters much.' She laughed at that and what Kouga would say if she ever said that in front of him. She never could be mean to him, but he pushed her restraint every time he opened his mouth and proclaimed (in one way or another) that she was 'his woman'.

Kagome turned off the shower and quickly dried herself off then took a seat on a nearby bench and ripped open the plastic on the package. Inside she found a black pair of stretch capris, a black tube top that bared her stomach, and a red waist-cincher with slits cut along the front. Kagome put all this on first and noticed that the capris had snap on grommets along the helm. 'I wonder what these are for...' she thought as she continued riffling through the package. Next she found a cobalt blue cropped jacket and a pair of what she thought were scraps of cloth. Kagome tugged on the jacket first, taking a moment to admire the black fur-lined sleeves and the gold embroidery before turning to the blue scraps of cloth. She found grommets inside, these matching the ones that were sewn onto the capris. Together the made a complete pair of pants with frayed edges along the blue snap-ons. The black elfin ankle boots were the last to be tugged on and Kagome used a red piece of ribbon to tie her hair into a long, multi-strand braid before turning toward a nearby full length mirror.

"Wow," Kagome muttered as she admired ART's choice of attire. "I look like a-"

"Mage," ART's voice finished for her. Kagome squeaked and jumped in surprise, then laughed at herself and smacked her forehead. "Duh Kagome. He can't come in here remember?" She calmed herself and took a steady breath before addressing him.

"What was that ART? What's a 'mage'?"

"It's a job class," Art replied over the P. A. system. "They only used magic, so they're strength and combat skills weren't exactly the best. We did have a few working here so...there you go."

"Well I like it," Kagome said with a nod. "OK ART, I'm coming out now." She stepped from behind the locker room door and grinned at his whistle. "Is it that good?"

"It's more than that," ART replied with a grin. "I knew that would suit you."

"Well thank you for finding it...and for it not being a skirt. Come on," Kagome said as ART laughed at her. "Let's eat! You interrupted my plans for this morning."

"I have already apologized for that," ART complained as Kagome dragged him from the dojo down the hall to the elevator. "How long do you plan on holding it against me?"

"Until I get food in my tummy," Kagome simply replied while she pushed the button for the elevator doors to close. "After that you're off the hook."

ART laughed again as they entered the cafeteria, his clothes changing colors the moment they crossed the threshold. Kagome and Sesshoumaru discovered sometime after activating ART's program that not only could he make copies of himself but that he and his copies' clothes would change color the moment they entered a new room. He no longer wore the red, yellow and white outfit he wore when they first met him. (Or, as ART would call it, his 'Start Up' uniform.) Now his uniforms matched the rooms whether they were the silver and black of Sesshoumaru's quarters, the beige tones of the dojo or the blues and whites of Kagome's. The only place ART never ventured was the locker rooms but he could still communicate through a specially made set of P. A. speakers.

For right now his jacket and pants matched the colors of the cafeteria, which was decorated in a surprisingly bright red. The beige in his pants bled to a black, and his jacket became red with white pipping around the hemline. "How do you stand doing that?" Kagome wondered as they ventured further into the room.

"It's not as hard as you think," Art replied. "The stressful part is information upload and retrieval."

"That's when you're eyes roll into the back of your head right?"

"Right. Now you go on and get something to eat," ART said as he directed her toward the food processors. "I should speak with Sesshoumaru about something."

Kagome watched him walk across the black and white checkerboard tile to the other side of the cafeteria. The seating area was divided into thirds with the middle third of the room consisting of small café tables with red tops and thin black wrought-iron legs. Pairs of tall stools in the same colors sat around the tables. The right hand side of the room held large round conference tables that were all white with white chairs with either red of black seat cushions. The left side had booths made of a light pine wood. The round booth tables were left as the stained wood but the booth seats were made of black leather with crimson piping along the outer part of the seats. Little red, black and white checkerboard cups were stationed in the middle of the tables with disposable chopsticks set inside.

Sesshoumaru sat at one of the booths, a plate of...well, _something_ in front of him. Kagome giggled to herself when he growled in ART's direction, his back turned and his eyes still distant while ART attempted to get his attention. The simulation regarded him curiously for a few moments before he shrugged, winked at Kagome, and walked out of the room. Kagome shook her head and stopped at the set of food processors set up buffet style at the back of the room. The food processors in the cabins were set up with small snacks and breakfast foods but the processors in the cafeteria held everything the cabin processors had and more. They were made of brushed stainless steel and were divided into five stations. The first station was set up for seafood, the second for poultry, the third for meat, the fourth for desserts and the fifth was for beverages. Each station (except for the beverage station) was divided between the youkai and human menus.

What delighted Kagome most about the food processors was the fact that everything on the menu (the human side at least) was native to Esthar. She managed to find a couple of her favorites, dishes she hadn't had since she was a little girl, and couldn't help the feeling of nostalgia she felt every time she ordered one of the dishes. 'It makes me realize how much I've missed the old place,' she smiled wistfully as she grabbed a tray from a stack sitting on a nearby counter and approached the processors. She mulled over the menu a few seconds, then pressed a couple of buttons. A white ceramic bowl was the first to emerge then a small white teacup.

Kagome picked up her tray and paused a moment to take the time to enjoy the yummy smell of her order. 'Yum,' she grinned happily as she walked away from the processors. 'Duck fu yong and chrysanthemum tea. My favorites.'

She looked up when Sesshoumaru growled again, this time with his back to her and the rest of the room while he dined on whatever it was he ordered. 'He always sits by himself when he eats,' Kagome thought as she walked down the aisle toward him. 'And he's been so grumpy. He's been grumpy for a week. I wonder what his problem is.'

Sesshoumaru sat in his own little world, the end of his chopsticks swirling dispassionately around his plate. His mind was a constant battlefield of inner thoughts with most of his problems concerning their shelter and the lock on the control room panel door. 'I have worked on that lock for six weeks and it still won't open,' Sesshoumaru growled to himself. 'The simulation cannot open it from the outside and he cannot gain access to it either. What is in that room?' The control panel was one of his concerns, but it wasn't the most worrisome. His most worrisome (and constant) problem was his inner youkai.

Normally he kept the beast under tight control but it was becoming difficult since the draining of his youki. Add to it one female specialist and he found himself with one of the oddest problems he ever had to face. His inner youkai had managed to become **attached** to Kagome sometime between the Ragnorok's destruction, falling into the shelter and ART's activation. It practically purred in contentment whenever her scent wafted toward them and it raged and pounded on it's mental prison whenever she were hurt.

At this very moment it sat pouting over, of all things, Kagome getting better. Now that she could walk on her own (she still limped, but it no longer hurt her to put weight on her weakened ankle) she no longer needed Sesshoumaru to carry her and his inner youkai actually _missed_ having her warmth in it's tail.

'This is ridiculous,' Sesshoumaru grunted as he shoved his plate to the center of the table. 'First you complain and whine about her being hurt, NOW you're upset because she does not need our assistance. This is becoming insane.' Sesshoumaru groaned when it whined again, the piteous sound offensive to Sesshoumaru's mental ears. 'No, I refuse to discuss this. She is getting better and the sooner she does the sooner **you** can cease pestering me!'

"Hey Sesshoumaru."

'Oh great,' Sesshoumaru grumbled as his inner youkai leapt to attention. 'Not her. Not now.'

"Um...Sesshoumaru?"

"Yes?" Sesshoumaru snapped. "What is it now?"

"Ow," Kagome mumbled softly. "Um, sorry. I didn't mean to bother you. I'll go someplace else." His inner youkai growled the second she turned to walk away from them, took over Sesshoumaru's hand and grasped her elbow.

"Um..." Kagome muttered as she stared at the clawed appendage. "Sesshoumaru?"

"What did you want Kagome?" Sesshoumaru asked after berating his rebelliousness side. "Ignore my behavior. I am under a considerable amount of stress."

"Aren't we all," Kagome commented with a laugh. "No problem Cap. Anyway, I wanted to know if I could sit with you."

Sesshoumaru glanced at her then at the other empty tables surrounding them before asking, "Why?"

"Um...cause you always sit with your back to me and I really hate eating by myself."

"Then have ART sit with you," Sesshoumaru replied as he released her arm.

"But ART doesn't eat," Kagome whined childishly. "So it feels like he's staring at me. I hate it when people watch me eat. Can't I sit with you?" She sat her tray on the table and batted her eyes. "Please? Pretty please? Don't make me turn the puppy eyes on you."

"As an inu youkai, I find that slightly insulting," Sesshoumaru commented in amusement. "But I would hate for you to result to such measures. Sit, please."

"Cool!" Kagome plopped down in the seat across from him and grabbed a set of chopsticks. "Um," she said after a few bites. "What's that?"

"What's what?" He followed the end of her sticks to his plate and sighed. "That is my lunch."

"Lunch? What about breakfast?"

"I ate that while you were asleep. It's almost one Kagome."

"Oh man," Kagome groaned as she slapped her forehead. "You mean to tell me that I overslept? Sucks!" Sesshoumaru shook his head, more than amused with her antics as she lamented her injury and her lazy ways. "And that no good ART!" Kagome snapped as she continued to complain. "He didn't even **TELL ME** that I overslept! Sheesh! He could have said something!"

"And what does ART have to do with this," Sesshoumaru asked as he picked up his chopsticks and returned to his meal.

"He stopped me on the way to the showers to recharge his system," Kagome griped. "And that thing is **heavy**! Did you know that!" She blushed at his incredulous look and laughed. "Oh yeah. I guess you do. Hey, what's that you're eat-"

"Hold on," Sesshoumaru said with his hand raised. "What is with all the questions?"

"Oh, um...well, I decided to learn more about you," Kagome responded. "So what better way to get to know someone than to ask questions. So what is-"

"Do I not get the chance to **agree** to the questions?" Sesshoumaru interrupted again.

"Well I guess so," Kagome shrugged. "But I always figured that if I asked something you didn't want to answer, you wouldn't answer it. You are kind of ornery you know."

"I am not ornery," Sesshoumaru growled, then sighed and shook his head. "Fine, I agree to these 'questions' so long as I get to ask my own."

"Yay!" Kagome chirped excitedly. "Twenty Questions! I love that game!"

'I may have bitten off more than I care to chew,' Sesshoumaru commented to himself as kagome thought of something she wanted to ask.

"Um...OK! What's that?" she asked as she pointed to his plate again.

"Youkai food."

"I know that!" she snapped angrily. "But what is it? Why can't you just eat human food? It's the same, right?"

"No, it's not the same," Sesshoumaru said before gesturing toward the three colored heaps on his plate. "First of all, youkai food tends to be seasoned differently. The spices and herbs are stronger than what you would use for human consumption."

"But Inuyasha likes human food," Kagome pointed out. "Why's that?"

"Inuyasha's partly human, so he can get what he needs from both human and youkai food," Sesshoumaru answered her. "And I never said that I could not eat human food. I merely stated that I do not need it. Human food is like junk food to youkai."

"OK...so what is it exactly?" Kagome asked next. "I mean, its obviously not a burger and fries so-"

"Raw food," Sesshoumaru answered her before she could finish the question. "Vegetables, meats, things like that."

"Oh." 'Ew,' Kagome thought to herself. "So why's it colored?"

"Different colors are for specific abilities. Now it is my turn," Sesshoumaru said before she could continue.

"Oh. Um..sure, alright then." Kagome sat back in her seat and crossed her arms underneath her head. "Go for it." He leaned forward and propped his elbows on the table's surface, loosely threaded his fingers together and rested his chin on his hands before asking, "Why are you afraid of needles? You fear nothing else and it seems to be a small thing to be afraid of."

"Oh. Eheh. I never told you that?" Kagome asked nervously. The very mention of needles made her quake in her boots and she could feel the tiny beads of sweat beginning to form along her spine.

"No, you didn't," Sesshoumaru drawled smoothly. He was surprised when he caught the scents of her fear and nervousness, now realizing that what he thought was a silly fear was actually a full blown phobia. "But you did say something about an incident when you were a child."

"Yeah, um...I came down with something nasty when I was a kid," Kagome said and shuddered violently. "I think it was something rare, like scarlet fever or something. Anyway, whatever it was it was a really bad case of it and I had to be hospitalized. They had to do all kinds of tests on me and stuff. My mom said that I ran a high fever and these weird little marks started appearing on my skin. The docs told her I was highly contagious so she and my dad couldn't sit with me. They had to sit on the other side of a glass window and watch the doctors walk around me in these white quarantine suits." Kagome suddenly fell silent, her face taking on a thoughtful countenance as she remembered. "You know, Mom always cried when she told me that. She said it was the scarcest moment of her life."

Sesshoumaru set back while she sank deeper into her thoughts, the sudden tides of confusion and guilt nearly as surprising as the contentment and finality that crossed into her scent. "Kagome?" he called as she smiled to herself. "Kagome, do you want to ask me something?"

"Ask you some-Oh yeah!" Kagome called out as she came out of her mood. "I remember now! Hey, who was that blue haired panther you were fighting back at the Garden." She flinched at the threatening growl that ripped from his throat, though his face remained stoic and his eyes stayed cool. "You know what," she said next. "Never mind. You don't have to answer th-"

"That was Toran," Sesshoumaru growled softly. "She and the others that attacked you and Inuyasha's mate are the former Panther Devas of Esthar."

"Devas? What's that?"

"They're the youkai rulers of that part of the world, or taiyoukai," Sesshoumaru explained.

"Ok, they're cats-"

"Do NOT call them that to their faces," Sesshoumaru warned her. "Well...at least not without me."

"Why? Are you gonna protect me from the big bad kitties?" Kagome cooed and giggled in spite of herself. Sesshoumaru smirked and shook his head, his arms falling away from the table to cross across his broad chest. "No, not exactly," he answered and watched her pout. "But I would like to be there when they use you for a scratching post."

"Yeah right," Kagome huffed as she waved it aside. "As if I'd let that happen. Besides, it's not like you to turn down a good fight. Now what about this 'Toran' chick that rubs you the wrong way."

'Rubs the wrong...ugh,' Sesshoumaru and his inner youkai grimaced in disgust at the thought. "Toran's father and my parents arranged for us to be mated."

"Really!" Kagome snickered. "A dog and a _cat_! Are you serious?"

"It was supposed to be a part of a peace treaty," Sesshoumaru growled and narrowed his eyes at Kagome when she doubled over and outright laughed. "Our union was meant to unite our tribes and any pups sired by us were to divide the west and the east between them. Hmnh," Sesshoumaru grumbled while Kagome calmed herself. "I would have rather mated a human male than that frigid cat."

He frowned when Kagome laughed again, this time with her stretched out along her seat with her feet dangling over the side. "I'm glad you find this amusing," Sesshoumaru commented as he leaned over to watch her laugh. Kagome sniffed, hiccuped and resumed her merriment.

"I'm-haha-sorry Sesshou-(snicker)-maru!" she said finally as she again calmed herself down. "I just can't believe how you're reacting about it! I mean, was she that bad?" She giggled at the glare he sent her way before she stopped laughing all together. "Alright, alright, I'm sorry," Kagome apologized with a hand against her heart. "Really, that was incredibly rude of me and I apologize. So what was so bad about her? Other than that whole 'Wanting to mate a dude' thing."

Sesshoumaru's glare turned into an all out glower at that, which quickly became Kagome's first and only warning to tread lightly as far as the subject was concerned before he answered her. "Toran and her father never intended on honoring the treaty. She was instructed to wait until after my father passed everything on to me, then slaughter the three of us-"

"You, Ambassador Endo and Inuyasha right?" Kagome interrupted. Sesshoumaru nodded. "Yes. They were to usurp our lordship afterward."

"Wow, that's deep," Kagome replied thoughtfully, then frowned as a spark of anger flashed in her eyes. "And dirty! Jeeze, didn't they think about what would happen if you guys found out?"

"The execution of her father was first," Sesshoumaru answered as if he were commenting on the time of day. Kagome's mouth dropped open in shock.

"Are you serious?" Kagome asked and gasped when he nodded. "But why?"

"It was a betrayal of the treaty," Sesshoumaru shrugged indifferently. "And in the treaty he signed it stated that the head of the household that betrayed the other would be beheaded."

"But what about Toran?" Kagome asked. "What did you do to her?"

"Her kingdom was stripped away from her and given to another set of cats. I believe the new lord are tigers of some kind. It doesn't matter. We fight because of her treachery."

"Don't you think it has less to do with that and more to do with her father being killed?" Kagome asked. "I mean, what about-"

"What about what?" Sesshoumaru snarled in her direction. "You obviously have no idea about youkai politics so you cannot possibly comment on what you don't understand."

"But-"

"She and her father knew of the consequences of their actions. They knew the risks and allowed greed to blind them to their common sense. I feel no sympathy for them. It is a gross and idiotic waste of time to do so."

"Oh," Kagome commented quietly. "I see. OK then." They sat in an uncomfortable silence with Kagome quiet and thoughtful and Sesshoumaru's inner youkai practically furious at the way Sesshoumaru yelled at it's little 'friend'.

'I will not apologize,' Sesshoumaru countered when it demanded he do as it suggested. 'The little twit has no idea of what she speaks so flippantly of and forgot her place. She is only human after all.' Sesshoumaru sighed deeply and agreed when it suggested that Kagome was different than other humans but he still refused to give in to it's request when Kagome suddenly stood up and grabbed her tray.

"Excuse me captain," she mumbled softly with a quick bow. "ART wants to continue my physical therapy in the dojo." She turned and walked away before he could think to stop her, taking a moment to place her tray into a nearby reciprocal before disappearing from the room in a flutter of blue and black.

_See,_ his inner youkai whispered as her scent began to disperse from the room. _You upset her._

'And?' Sesshoumaru commented dryly. 'I'm afraid I fail to see the problem.'

_She wasn't trying to insult us. She was only expressing sympathy for Toran's loss. Even you, at the time, thought that Father's methods for punishment were rather harsh for the circumstance._

'I did until Father explained it to me,' Sesshoumaru countered. 'Traitors are to be dealt with swiftly and precisely or else our enemies will become bolder and more troublesome.'

_That may be, but Kagome's no enemy,_ his youkai countered back. _Kagome was just as outraged by their treachery as she was upset by the old cat's demise. You cannot fault her for her feelings, no matter how inane you may think they are. If you do she will become alienated with us and refuse to share her company._

'As if I wanted her company,' Sesshoumaru disagreed as his inner youkai fell silent. He did admit (after an hour of sitting there stirring in his food) that he did find her silly little mannerisms rather enjoyable. 'I still refuse to apologize,' Sesshoumaru thought as he decided on a compromise. 'But I will try to remember her differences from now on. Maybe that will keep this situation from becoming worse than it already is.'

II

Sesshoumaru exited the elevator and stepped onto the fourth floor, his set of tools slipping into the ample pockets of his pale blue pants. He had spent the early part of the afternoon working on the control room lock, having removed an entire section of wall paneling to gain access to the lock, the doorframe and the wires between them but still couldn't find a way to open it. He could only guess now that there was another way to open the door that he wasn't aware of.

This idea lead him to seek out ART's assistance with the intention of questioning the program about the subject. 'Now where is he,' Sesshoumaru wondered while he made a quick stop at his room. 'It's ...' He glanced down at his watch and sighed. 'It's 3:00 now, so he and Kagome are continuing her physical therapy.' He exited his quarters and walked down the hallway to the dojo.

'They should be almost finished,' Sesshoumaru thought as he approached the wide double doors leading to the dojo floor. 'So I should not interrup-'

"No!"

Sesshoumaru paused mid-stride, his ears twitching violently as Kagome's voice filtered though the dojo doors.

"I won't do it!"

'They must be having a disagreement,' Sesshoumaru determined with a mental shrug. 'It cannot be about anything important.'

_No, this sounds like it is,_ his inner youkai disagreed. _I believe we should wait a moment and listen. This could be something interesting._ Sesshoumaru agreed readily enough and leaned against the doorframe, careful to stay clear of the infa red sensors that operated the door's opening mechanisms, and listened to the conversation on the other side.

"You're wrong ART!" he heard Kagome exclaim suddenly. "I don't think he'll do that at all!"

"Be that as it may, I still don't think it's a good idea for you to tell him."

'Tell who?' Sesshoumaru wondered, then groaned softly and slapped his forehead.

"Why?" Kagome demanded. "I mean, from my point of view I think it'll be worse for me **not** to tell him!"

"But you don't understand the youkai mind," ART countered patiently. "Lord Sesshoumaru, and any other youkai for that matter, will automatically view you as an enemy and try to hurt you."

"Are you crazy!" Kagome snapped. "I have LOTS of youkai friends back at the Garden and Sesshoumaru wouldn't fly off the handle like that. Besides, knowing him, he'll see it as a 'tactical advantage'."

"Or he could think of you as a threat and try to run you though."

"Oh come **ON **ART!" Kagome huffed in frustration. "I think you're making a big deal out of nothing! I tell you what, let's think about it this way: You think it's going to be bad if I tell him. Well imagine what will happen if I DON'T tell him and he finds out some other way? What do you think he'll do or say then? And besides, he's my captain. I HAVE to tell him!"

"Tell me what?"

Kagome and ART froze, both with shock written on their faces as they turned toward the doorway. Sesshoumaru stood in the middle of it, his arms crossed and his golden eyes narrowed in their direction. "Anyone care to explain?"

"Um..."

"Uh..."

"Maybe you should do it," Kagome and ART exclaimed at once. They both sighed at their behavior and groaned, completely unaware of Sesshoumaru's rapidly deteriorating countenance until a low, threatening growl reverberated throughout the padded room.

"Um, I'll do it," Kagome offered before turning to the now pissed off youkai. "Um, Sesshoumaru, there's something I gotta tell you."

"That part I'm aware of," he growled as his arms slid down to rest at his sides. "Do get on with it."

"Right. Eheheh. Um...ok then," Kagome sighed. "This is going rather well," she whispered to ART. ART shrugged in response.

"You're the one that wanted to tell him."

"I would like to find out today," Sesshoumaru warned them. "Besides, I'm not known for my patience."

"Right. Sorry," Kagome apologized, then cleared her throat. "Um, you remember back when I first was injured don't you? And when we first activated ART right?"

"Right..."

"And um, when ART checked over my ankle and found your acid? You remember what he said about it right?"

"Where is this going?" Sesshoumaru demanded impatiently. "Why this sudden trip down memory lane?"

"Maybe I should explain," ART offered. "I do know more about the subject than she does. I performed some research on what the matter is that was assisting Kagome's white blood cells and found something interesting."

"What is it?" Sesshoumaru sighed in exasperation. "I tire of the theatrics."

"He found ki Sesshoumaru," Kagome interjected before ART could say anything. "Purifying ki to be exact." The stunned look glittering in his eyes was something she expected, but she never thought he would be so calm about it.

"And?"

"And apparently she's never known anything about it until recently," ART responded next. "We've done some experimenting with it and I've found that with a little extra practice Kagome could be nearly as powerful as you."

"Really?" Sesshoumaru muttered to himself. "As powerful as me you say..."

"Well, I would think so," ART replied. "But not on the same level as you. Kagome's ki is differ-"

"I would like to see it."

"See what?" Kagome asked as Sesshoumaru stepped into the room. The heavy metal doors slid closed after him with a slight hiss, the sound eerie and disturbing as he approached her. "Sesshoumaru, see what?"

"I would like to see this power of yours," Sesshoumaru replied and stopped a few feet in front of her. ART slowly stepped back and away from the pair until his back touched the beige wall behind him. Kagome put a little more distance between herself and Sesshoumaru as well, a deep tingling at the base of her neck caused the tiny hairs there to raise and her senses to heighten along with them.

"I don't know about this," Kagome said before looking to ART for help. She groaned when he shrugged, taking the slight gesture to mean that she was on her own as Sesshoumaru extended his claws. "Sesshoumaru-"

"Why are you so frightened?" Sesshoumaru inquired dryly. "Calm down so you can think."

"Oh. Right. Ok then." Kagome closed her eyes and took a couple of deep calming breaths. "Alright Sesshoumaru," she said as she opened them. "Go ahead. Let's try this and get it over with." Sesshoumaru nodded wordlessly and flexed his right hand, a thin smirk appearing on his lips at Kagome's gasp when it began to glow a neon green. He disappeared in the wink of an eye, leaving Kagome and ART to wonder at his whereabouts.

"Sesshoumaru?" Kagome called out as she checked the rafters above her. "Come out! This isn't fair! You're cheating!"

"Just as a little side-note Kagome," ART interjected with a finger raised for her attention. "He doesn't have to be fair."

"Oh, ahahah," Kagome snipped irritably as she glanced around her. "Not funny at all ART." She stiffened when the prickling at her neck grew more intense then turned around and looked toward a slight growl coming from above her. Sesshoumaru sat crouched down on the rafter above her, his eyes glittering a fierce amber as he stepped off and allowed himself to fall through the air toward her. Kagome gasped again and stepped back in alarm when he stretched his hand toward her, the acid oozing from underneath his claws dripping down to eat away the caramel colored floor padding beneath her feet in tiny pinpricks.

He decided not to hurt her while he sat there on the rafters but he couldn't deny the sudden urge to scare her as he watched her search for him. The jump from the rafter was easy enough. He had regained enough youki in the seven weeks they were there to ensure that his landing would be a safe one, so he truly felt no reservations against his little project. His smirk widened considerably when she turned and looked at him, her eyes wide and frightened like a green-eyed doe.

It was when those green eyes began to glow around their rim that Sesshoumaru felt the first stab of uncertainty, then nothing more than agony as a bright purple flame began to engulf his right hand.

Kagome nearly shrieked when he landed in front of her, his right hand tightly grasped in his left as silver locks fell about his face like a curtain. He crouched inches from her on one knee with his palm down, his shoulders tense and the funny feeling at the back of her neck lessening with every second.

"Sesshoumaru? Are you ok?" She frowned when he remained quiet, the frown deepening as the smell of burnt flesh permeated the air. "Sesshoumaru?" She lowered herself to her knees in front of her and sat back on her ankles, then reached forward for his right hand. "Let me see," she implored softly with her hands outstretched and her voice quiet. "Please? Let me see. I think I can fix it."

Sesshoumaru refused to speak or lift his head but he did allow her to inspect his right hand. She sucked in a sympathetic breath at the damage she caused, once flawless skin now red, raw and tender to her touch. She winced when she touched the remaining skin on his palm and flinched in sympathy when he did. "I'm really, really sorry Sesshoumaru," Kagome whispered as she began to massage the ruined flesh at the inside of his wrist. "I didn't mean to hurt you. I honestly didn't. I-I panicked. I'm sorry."

Sesshoumaru growled softly, the pain in his hand deafening him to her apology. It was taking everything in his power to keep his inner youkai contained, especially since his youki hadn't quite returned to full capacity. Any attempts to transform now would result in a complete loss of control on his part and he didn't want to hurt the young woman in front of him.

_She-she **burned** us!_ his inner youkai snarled in outrage. _The little vixen **burned** us!_

'Yes, and I fear we may have deserved it,' Sesshoumaru growled back before hissing aloud when Kagome touched an extremely tender spot on his palm. 'We are the ones that provoked her.'

_Make her stop touching us!_ his youkai urgently insisted. _Her touch is so cold! It's only making things worse_

Now that he hadn't noticed.

Sesshoumaru found that her touch was actually hurting him and her fingertips were glowing a soft blue. He quickly snatched his hand away and growled at her. His eyes were hard and cold as he glared and she stepped back, her hands raised and her head lowered in a quiet-if temporary-submission. He flexed his right hand instinctively and stopped when he felt no pain, no tightening and no burning like he had earlier. He raised his hand and frowned at the skin that was once rendered to a living barbeque and flexed new, healthy flesh and claws.

Sesshoumaru glanced down at Kagome, who stood in front of him waiting patiently for his verdict. "Well," he grunted out after a moment's silence. "What a surprise. Who knew you had it in you little gunner?"

"Would you stop calling me that," Kagome gripped irritably, her fists instantly shooting to her hips as she glared up at him. The glow from earlier was gone, replaced with concerned and angry almond-shaped orbs. "I know I overreacted and everything but come on-"

"I believe I agree with Kagome ART," Sesshoumaru interrupted with a thoughtful gaze at ART. ART nodded in understanding and stood away from the wall to approach the pair. "I do see this as an advantage. Imagine," he said thoughtfully. "A miko SeeD..."

"Actually," ART said before placing a hand on Kagome's shoulder. "It's a little more than that."

"More than her nearly singing my hand off?" Sesshoumaru wondered sarcastically. "Can this day **possibly** get any better?"

"It's only a little something my lord," ART responded calmly. "But I feel that if you must know the truth, then you may as well know the entire truth."

"I'm listening," Sesshoumaru replied to urged the program on. "And try to be quicker about this than you were last time."

"Of course," ART agreed with a solemn bow. "Kagome's not just a miko. She has summoner blood as well." ART waited for Sesshoumaru to say something, but when the inu youkai prince remained silent he decided that it might be the best idea to go ahead and explain himself. "You see Lord Sesshoumaru, in my time there were both miko** and** summoners. Miko were responsible for rogue youkai while summoners served in times of war."

"Summoners were put in the front lines," Kagome interjected quickly. "Um, they fought on the side of the religion at the time, right ART?"

"Uh-huh. Kagome tells me that anyone can summon an aeon now with the help of what you call 'summoning stones'?"

"What's an Aeon?" Sesshoumaru directed toward Kagome.

"Oh, an Aeon is another name for a GF. But yeah ART, I've got a summoning stone right here." Kagome reached in the pocket of her jacket and stared in surprise at a round piece of white marble the size of a dime. "What's this? I don't remember this one."

She handed the stone to Sesshoumaru, who quickly studied it and the inscription carved deep within the surface. "It's a stone for Alexander," Sesshoumaru replied simply, and returned it to her before glancing at ART. "Could you continue?"

"Oh, yes of course," ART said as Kagome gazed at the stone in her hands in disbelief. "Um...where was I...oh yes! Summoners didn't need any stones to summon aeons. They _were_ the stones, in a sense."

"And how is that in any way important?" Sesshoumaru asked next as he silently wished for something to sit on. He decided to use a bit of his ki to form his nimbus cloud and waited for the white mist to settle fully underneath his feet before folding is legs underneath him.

"Um...well it's like this." ART grabbed Kagome and positioned her between them, his hands firmly clasped on her shoulders as he watched for Sesshoumaru's reaction from behind Kagome's head. "Our Kagome here is more than just a miko. Somewhere in her bloodline is a very strong miko/summoner, or a summoner and a miko mated. Either way Kagome not only can purify and heal, she can summon any aeon within an eight mile radius."

"Any aeon?" Sesshoumaru repeated in disbelief. "Including ones that don't belong to her?"

"Well aeons don't belong to anyone," ART replied evenly. "But yes, any aeon near her, including any carved on the stones in your possession."

"But that would include any that are wild, correct?" Sesshoumaru asked and hummed thoughtfully at ART's affirmation. "Interesting..."

"Ok, I'm lost," Kagome cried out suddenly. "Why is that so bloody interesting?"

"Because," Sesshoumaru said before moving his legs from underneath him to allow them to swing off the edge of the cloud. "This means that any GF is under your control. She could use Scan to see them correct?"

"She wouldn't need such a spell," ART said as he began to pick up on Sesshoumaru's theory. "Summoners and miko feel when youkai and aeons are nearby, especially strong ones. I suppose she could use this Scan to see if the aeon is worth calling, but other than that I don't think it's necessary."

"Then that settles it," Sesshoumaru said as he jumped down from the cloud.

"Hey, wait a sec," Kagome shouted to the schemers around her. "What are we talking about? What's so great!"

"You can call any GF Kagome," Sesshoumaru repeated as ideas and training measures began to form in his head. "That means that the GF of friends, comrades and _enemies_ are under your control."

"You can turn an enemy's GF against them," ART translated. Kagome nodded in understanding. "Oooohhhhhh..."

"I believe training is in order," Sesshoumaru continued on while Kagome and ART looked on. "ART, your training with her should continue, as miko and summoners haven't been in use in over 100 years."

"125 to be exact," ART replied and sighed when Sesshoumaru looked as if to care less.

"After she trains with you, I think an hour or two with me would be called for."

"What!" Kagome exploded. "Are you NUTS! No **way** am I training with you! I'm trying to get my strength back, not be reduced to a silver-haired, gibbering idiot! God, you'd kill me in a day!"

"I take resentment to that silver-haired comment," Sesshoumaru replied casually. "But I will take it as a sign that you're ready to begin your training as soon as possible. How does tomorrow sound ART?"

"Absolutely perfect Lord Sesshoumaru," ART said with another of his bows. Kagome wacked him in the back of the head as Sesshoumaru began to leave the room.

"And just where are you going?" Kagome demanded as the doors opened with a hiss.

"I am going back to work," Sesshoumaru replied simply. "You, however, have more training to do. ART, I want her leg strengthened by tomorrow afternoon."

"As you wish Lord Sesshoumaru," ART replied before Sesshoumaru quit the room. Kagome stared at the empty space left behind in something akin to disbelief, then rounded on ART with her fist balled and her eyes narrowed dangerously. ART stepped back, his hands raised once again in weak submission as Kagome advanced on him.

"Come here ART," she cooed as she closed the distance between them. "I want to tell you something."

ART had the sneaking suspicion that whatever Kagome wanted to talk about wouldn't be good for his circuits.

"Perhaps," he laughed nervously. "I should have followed Lord Sesshoumaru instead."

III

"Pliers."

"Um..." ART rifled through the toolbox for a few seconds, then fished out the called for tool. "Got it."

Sesshoumaru traded out the mini screwdriver in his hands for the pliers and continued to work on the control panel, his various growls and sighs of frustration the only sound in the hallway before he finally grunted and gave ART back the pliers.

"I give up," he finally relented as he pressed his back against the wall and sighed. "I have no idea who made this, but I wish I could shake his hand...before I ripped his arm from its socket."

"Now now my lord," ART appeased with a comforting smile. "Now's not the time to be frustrated. Maybe you just need to take your mind off of it for a while."

"Or maybe I should look somewhere else for another lock," Sesshoumaru determined. ART shook his head. "There isn't another lock or access panel as far as I know of. This is it. Perhaps," ART suggested when Sesshoumaru groaned again. "We should change the subject. You know, discuss something other than technology. We have been at this for the past five hours. It's 3:00 in the morning."

Sesshoumaru glanced down at his watch to confirm it and shrugged. "Alright, perhaps we should find something else to think about. There has been something I've been meaning to ask."

"Please, ask away," ART insisted. "I'm here to answer whatever questions you may have."

"Why are the men's clothes so different from the women?"

"I don't understand," ART replied. "Different? You mean different like pants to skirts?"

"No," Sesshoumaru shook his head. "I mean different as in out of all the pants, shorts and jackets I've found in my size, I've only been able to find three shirts including the one I'm wearing now," he said as he gestured to the fitted white ribbed long sleeved shirt he had on. "Kagome's selection seems to be more...widespread."

"Oh, that," ART said when he finally understood. "There's a simple reason for that: It's the way people dressed in my time."

"I know that," Sesshoumaru assured him. "What I'm asking is _why_ did they dress this way? None of the pictures of my grandfather are like this."

"The pictures of Lord Toga were probably taken after he was mated my lord," ART guessed. "But I assure you that every young male, youkai and human, dressed this way."

Sesshoumaru fought the urge to sigh as ART once again managed to avoid the question, something Kagome had secretly titled an 'ART fart' and wondered if evasiveness was a part of ART's programing. "ART, you still haven't answered my question."

"Oh. Oh yes. Right. Sorry about that Lord Sesshoumaru," ART apologized profusely. "The reason the males dressed this way is because of the Female Epidemic."

"Excuse me?" Sesshoumaru quipped in confusion. "What is a 'Female Epidemic'?"

"As I'm sure you've heard me say my lord, my time and your time are vastly different from one another," ART explained quickly. "In my time, there was a sudden drop of female births. At first no one thought of it because boys were considered to be more of a use to the family than girls but as the years went on and the girl birth rates kept dropping, people began to wonder what was causing it. It got to be so bad that any little girl born to a family was considered a treasure.

"I remember an article about a peasant farmer that lived a village at the base of Mt. Gagazet-"

"Where is that exactly?" Sesshoumaru shamelessly interrupted.

"Oh, um...a mile or so south of Zanerkand," ART replied after a moment to gather his information. Sesshoumaru nodded, having figured that most of ART's world had been vastly replaced by his own, with Zanerkand and it's ruins giving way to Deling City and Galbadia.

"But returning back to the article," ART resumed from where he left off. "The farmer was dirt poor but rose to fame because of his seven daughters. He had all girls and he guarded them with his life as they grew up. When they married their ceremonies were in all the papers and the families of the grooms paid the farmer huge doweries for his daughters' hands in marriage."

"Humans," Sesshoumaru grumbled in disgust. He frowned when ART shook his head to disagree. "No my lord. This farmer was a youkai, a cat youkai to be exact. His daughters were some of the prettiest kittens ever."

"I see..."

"But the men dress as you do now to exhibit their health and fitness-"

"Like a male peacock displaying his feathers," Sesshoumaru pointed out. ART nodded in agreement. "Exactly my lord. Just like that."

"What utter nonsense," Sesshoumaru growled before attempting to pick up the various tools scattered along the floor. "As if females were worth such nonsense."

"On the contrary," ART replied. "Females at the time were considered worth their weight in gold, especially one like our Kagome."

"Kagome? Ha," Sesshoumaru barked in amusement. "I don't believe anyone would willingly spend time with that bothersome girl."

"I don't know Lord Sesshoumaru," ART sang out with a mischievous gleam in his eye. "I for one happen to find Kagome's countenance quite pleasing to be around, especially with the way some girls behave. She's refreshingly different, wouldn't you say?"

Sesshoumaru considered the idea, then shrugged it off as he closed the control panel and began to screw back its front cover. "I suppose she is rather different," he decided after the first screw. "She is definitely not the giggling, bubble-headed type."

"I agree totally," ART replied with a jovial laugh. "But men in my time would have paid Kagome's family a hearty dowery indeed for her, human and youkai alike."

"Youkai mating humans was acceptable?"

"Well yes so long as the human was up to par," ART responded thoughtfully. "I tend to believe that with Kagome's long legs, delightful curves, long dark hair and enchanting eyes, that the sons of senators and royalty would have been smitten with her."

The statement stunned Sesshoumaru for a moment, and he couldn't help but reach out and thump the simulation on the shoulder. A slight _ping_ as his nail connected with metal reaffirmed that ART wasn't the full blooded male he sounded like. "What is it?" ART wondered in concern. "Did I offend you? If I have I apologize."

"What would make you think that you offended me?" Sesshoumaru grumbled dryly.

"Of course," ART replied. "But as I was saying, Kagome would have been dotted on from birth. She also would have been guarded."

"From what?"

"Sometimes greedy pirates called Breeders would come and steal away the prettier girls. They'd sell them on the black market to the highest bidder and forced into slavery. It was a horrid situation. Girls that were taken were often never seen again."

"I see," Sesshoumaru replied as he returned his miniature tool set to his pocket. "Though I believe you are wrong about Kagome's end of the spectrum."

"I don't think so. Oh, here you go," ART said as he passed Sesshoumaru his forgotten screwdriver. "I find Kagome to be quite attractive."

"Don't make me thump you again ART," Sesshoumaru mumbled. He yawned slightly and stretched, the end of his tail fuzzing out a little before turning around to head for the elevator. He stopped when heard the doors sound and waited for Kagome to get off the elevator.

"Good morning Kagome," ART called out as she appeared at the end of the hallway. She waved before running toward them. She was barefoot and obviously dressed for bed. She wore a white nightgown with a skirt that floated to the floor in billows of creamy soft fabric. The split in the front reached mid thigh with thin spaghetti straps holding up the square neckline. It was Sesshoumaru's first time seeing her hair down and he found he couldn't stop staring at the onyx waves as they shimmered down her back to curl an inch above her waistline.

"Good morning you guys," she huffed when she finally stopped to catch her breath. "I'm sorry to bother you, but I thought I'd tell you good night before I go pass out. Um, Sesshoumaru? Is everything alright?"

"Of course," Sesshoumaru assured her as he snapped out of his stupor. "And good night Kagome."

"Yes Kagome, good night," ART agreed enthusiastically. "Thank you for telling us."

"Oh no problem," Kagome replied as she turned to walk back to the elevator. "I just thought you guys would like to kn-OH!" He foot rolled over a Philips head screwdriver, one of the many Sesshoumaru thought he picked up. The smooth plastic handle rolled from underneath her and sent her sailing on a one way trip toward the ground. She closed her eyes and braced for impact, assuring herself that another trip to the infirmary would keep her out of her warm, comfortable bed as she attempted to reach for something to break her fall. She grabbed onto the first thing she could reach before she finally hit the ground and found her fall to be not as hard as she thought it would be.

She opened one eye, then the other when something wheezed beneath her. Kagome saw ART first, who was standing against the wall with his hands tightly clasped over his mouth. Sesshoumaru was next, or Sesshoumaru's **chin** was next as that was the only thing she could see of the inu youkai's face. She quickly sat up and straddled his waist before helping him to sit up.

"I'm so sorry Sesshoumaru!" Kagome apologized as she dusted him off and brushed his bangs away from his face. "I didn't mean to fall on you! I honestly thought I was falling on ART."

"I'm afraid I wouldn't have made as soft a landing pad Kagome," ART chuckled heartily. He quieted considerably when Sesshoumaru shot him a warning glare, then watched as he attempted to wave away Kagome's concern.

"Would you stop pawing all over me woman?" Sesshoumaru finally snapped when he couldn't get her to release him peacefully. Kagome's hands instantly flew to her hips, her eyes narrowed in outrage as she glared down at him.

"Excuse you, but who's pawing all over who?" she countered before gesturing to the pair of hands still attached to her hips. Sesshoumaru quickly removed his hands and used them to brace himself, but found he couldn't get up because of a certain extra 'weight'. "You've got some nerve you pervert!"

"You're the one sitting on me," Sesshoumaru grumbled quietly as he fully sat up and glared at her. He paused a second to brush her hair behind her ear, his claws harmlessly grazing across her right cheek as she continued to berate him. "Kagome," he finally said when his ears began to ring. He sighed when she refused to answer him, apparently too far gone in her rant to catch on to his pain. "Kagome?"

"And another thing while I'm thinking about it," she raved on endlessly. Sesshoumaru half listened to it, his eyes rolled slightly in the back of his head as the sound of her voice became this sweet droning that he could no longer understand.

'Alright,' he decided when she began poking him in the chest. 'I have had enough. It's time to put a stop to this.' He threaded his fingers through the mass of locks as the base of her skull and jerked forward. The force of it surprised Kagome out of her tirade as she slipped from her comfortable (and safe) position on his legs closer to his body. Her lips stopped a mere breath from his, her eyes dazed and distant from shock as he stared down at her in amusement.

"Are you quite done?" he whispered, fully aware of the affect he was having on her as her eyelashes fluttered against her cheeks. She looked up at him in confusion and asked with an innocence only she could get away with:

"What was I doing?"

Kagome frowned when ART cracked up, the computer program falling apart at his circuits as he guffawed and grasped the wall behind him for balance. "What?" she asked when Sesshoumaru shook his head. "What did I do now? You guys are always laughing at me."

"It's nothing Kagome," Sesshoumaru assured her while his fingers continued to comb through her hair. "The simulation's circuits are fried."

"They're gonna fry if I keep laughing like this," ART wheezed as he calmed down. "I'm so sorry. Wow, that's the first time I've ever done that."

"It wasn't bad was it?" Kagome asked and smiled when he agreed. "See? I told you that laughter wasn't so bad."

ART chuckled again, both at Kagome as she smiled at him and at Sesshoumaru who had totally tuned himself out of the conversation. He seemed to be perfectly content with indulging himself in Kagome's hair with both hands deep within the fragrant strands. Kagome remained in his lap, either unaware of their position or uncaring while she and ART continued their conversation.

Kagome glanced down behind Sesshoumaru and stopped, her head tilting to the side curiously before tugging on Sesshoumaru's hair.

"What? What now?" he asked as he turned around.

"Do you see that?" Kagome asked as she pointed toward the treacherous screwdriver that tripped her. "Look."

Sesshoumaru rolled his eyes but finally looked behind him at her urgency. He found his screwdriver to be perfectly normal...

Except for the fact that it was sticking straight up from the floor.

"Do you think it's stuck like that?" Kagome asked as Sesshoumaru pulled himself toward the screwdriver and out from beneath her.

"I don't know. It should be rather easy to get out." He grasped the bright yellow handle and tugged but instead of the screwdriver coming out clean it popped free along with a piece of the floor, revealing a secret panel with a large red button. "ART," Sesshoumaru called as he glanced over the button for any instructions. "What is this?"

"I'm not sure," ART replied as he and Kagome kneeled down on either side of Sesshoumaru. "I've never seen it before."

"What do you think it does?" Kagome wondered aloud. "It's only a button. Do you think we should push it?"

"I don't see why not," Sesshoumaru answered thoughtfully. "After all, we have pushed or turned almost everything in here. If something was going to bother us it would have done so by now."

"I want to do it this time!" Kagome chirped when Sesshoumaru put his hand over the button. "You got to activate ART so I want to do this!"

"Fine," Sesshoumaru relented before standing up and brushing himself off. "You do what you want. This way if something goes wrong I can blame you."

"Yeah right," Kagome huffed as she punched him in the leg. "Like you're so bloody perfect."

"Apparently you haven't heard the news," Sesshoumaru commented before Kagome's hand slammed down on the button. The glass button shattered on contact, sending sharp red shards scattering across the hallway but her hand continued onward to a tiny switch beneath the button. The switch flipped and the lights around them flickered before the elevator buzzed.

ART stood up next, then helped Sesshoumaru get Kagome to her feet as the elevator stopped buzzing and the doors opened. Kagome ventured in first with Sesshoumaru behind her before the elevator doors sealed shut. "What about ART?" Kagome said as the elevator whirled to life. "We left him behind!"

"I'm sure he will catch up sooner or later," Sesshoumaru replied while he studied the elevator buttons. "The buttons for the first and second floors are lit."

"Are you serious?" Kagome exclaimed as she scrambled over to see. Four of the eleven buttons twinkled happily back at her. "Oh wow," she whispered as her fingertips caressed the worn numbers on the surface. "Where should we go first?"

"The first floor," Sesshoumaru determined as he reached forward to press the adjacent button. "We will see what is there first, then work our way down. If we find anything dangerous-"

"I'm screwed 'cause I left my gunblade back in my room," Kagome groaned miserably. "Great."

"Do you still have your magic?"

"Yeah," Kagome nodded with a weak smile. "I don't leave home without it."

"Good," Sesshoumaru replied when the doors opened. "You will not be defenseless after all."

The first floor held nothing of immediate interest to either SeeD. There were three offices, four storage rooms filled with various supplies and one control room. This one was easier to access because it lacked a door. The inside looked to be normal enough so they quit the first floor and descended to the second. The second floor proved to be more interesting.

At first glance it seemed to be little more than a gutted out warehouse with the elevator opening up inside an enormous room instead of into a hallway. Empty containers lay scattered at their feet and in the distance was what looked to be a giant bird and a large window. The giant bird became a large metal dragon the closer they came to it. It was black with silver accents and claws and a gigantic cannon strapped to it's back.

"What is it?" Kagome asked as she stared in awe at the mechanical wonder. She turned to Sesshoumaru and found his face as impassive as ever except for his eyes, which shimmered with excitement as if they were standing in front of the Holy Grail. "Sesshoumaru?" she said as she tugged on his arm. He blinked once before glancing down at Kagome, her teal blue eyes wide in confusion as she waited for him to explain. "What's going on? What is it?"

He smiled down at her, one of his rare, true smiles that left her slightly dazed, amazed, and slightly jealous that something so beautiful could come from a man.

"It's another airship," he replied evenly, his voice calm despite the obvious effect the discovery had on him. Kagome's mind stuttered to a start as he waited for what he said to sink in. The first real ray of understanding finally shone in her eyes and before she could utter a word Sesshoumaru swooped her up and spun her around, the smile on his lips still in place as Kagome's happy and excited laugh echoed throughout the hanger.

(End Chapter)

SF: That's it for this chapter. Lol. It went rather well didn't it?

Miroku: Yes, I suppose-

Sango: IF you overlook how OCC Sesshoumaru is.

SF: Well I'm glad you're willing to. Lol. Anyway, a couple of people suggested to me that the last chapter's title really had nothing to do with the title. Well I thought about it and-

Inu-chan: And you guys were right. I told her that title sucked.

**!ZAP!**

SF: Jerk. Anyway, I agree with you guys but I can't seem to come up with a better chapter name. So until I think of a new one (Or until one is dropped into my lap) I'm changing chapter thirteen to: Transferals and the Beginnings of the Moon. Um...that is...

Sesshou: What is it now crossbreed?

SF: HEY! I thought we had an understanding about the names Prince Mutt-and-Fluff!

Sesshou: I can call you whatever I please.

SF: That's what you think you mangy-

Kagome: (as SF and Sesshou argue) What she wanted to say was that the chapter would be as it was so long as no one minded that she use it again for a different story. The reviews and EEK! (Jumps back when a lightening bolt strikes down beside her)

SF: (still fighting with Sesshou) Sorry about that!

Kagome: (deep breath) I swear, working here is going to be the end of me someday. The reviews and the chapter summary is below. Now maybe I can talk Inuyasha into stopping them.

Inu-chan: No way! (Sits on couch with a Cherry Coke) This is too good! I hope she fries the bastard!

**!ZAP!**

SF: (glaring at Inu-chan) What have I told you about the curse words?

Inu-chan: No (cough) cursing in front of the (wheeze) brat-I mean kids. The next chapter summary (which the bird-brain forgot the first couple of times she updated) is below.

Kagome and Sesshoumaru discover that their little blessing is heavily disguised, Sesshoumaru prevents ART's drastic methods of training, a heating mishap sets the SeeDs on edge, the emergency shut down is lifted and the real purpose for the laboratory is discovered.

Next chapter: Chapter Fifteen: What Child Is This?

Reviews: (Some of the reviews aren't here. Somehow I managed to copy half of my review page. I plan to respond via email to everyone that's missing that left an email address.)

Me, Anime-Goddess-Sakura, AnimeMoonlightGoddess, Dragon Rae, Skitzoflame, Choyan, -silentsyn-, Dana Daidouji, inudemoness247, sapphire mist, ivei, George Bassy, Strawberrylover, Wake-Robin, BlueMonkey89, Chaos-Empersonified(You're quote at the end of your review was great! 'Where's my ceiling?' lol), waining-moon, sessywuver, Fairia13, KyouFan17, ChIbI rIn, AngelWing1138, sakurakitsune14, & Tamereth: Thanks so much for reviewing you guys! Another chapter's coming soon!

baka-onna2003: You know, you're not the only person to ask me that. I intend to change it as soon as I can.

Native Wolf Cub: To be honest, no. I've never thought about it. I like writing the way I do now. I like writing the way I do it now. Less pressure and no one trying to restrict what I want to say. Shippou and the others are pretty much stuck in Esthar so they won't get to go to Centra to find them. And yup, they're going to get out of that shelter. The more they find out about the place the closer they get to finding a way out. Oh, and as for Kagome being special, it's just as ART said. She's got some powerful blood in her veins and until now she hasn't known how to use it. Now that ART's training her on her abilities she should be better able to control it and maybe help if the need ever rises in the future.

Kagome: Man, when you punish someone, you really stick it to em. lol. Can't say he didn't deserve it though. If I did I'd be lying.

Baybe-Dinez: Man, you had one hell of a day huh? Yeah, men suck. Want to know a secret? It only gets worse as they grow up. lol. Well, the majority of them anyway. Soten is the chick from that very episode. I've been told a few dozen times that her name is spelled wrong so I'm going to have to go back and correct it, which means looking it up to see how it's spelled. Nope, in the end you find out that she's a girl (it's the part where Kagome's squeezing the poor kid to pieces). Shippou's about sixteen in this fic, so I'd say he's at least 5' 10" or so. Nope, no Kag or Sess in that chapter, but they're all over the next couple of chapters. You forgot about how sweet he is! Oh my GOD woman, where have you been? (faints)

Ruby27: You're the second person to ask me that. I looked back and realized that it was a really funky title and decided to change it. Hopefully the title works now. Kagome's fear of needles is explained above and the disease I found was like, the only one I remembered from micro class (about seven or eight years ago).

ReginaLucifer: Kyo is in fact Miroku's pops. Hey, couldn't you tell with the way he and his wife met? lol. Kyo's going to be fine, I promise. You know, I've had a lot of people tell me that I spelled that girl's name wrong. I've gotten both versions and to be honest, I like yours better. So Souten it is...or it will be as soon as I get over there to change it. lol.

Yume no Zencho: I totally agree with you. What's the point of writing a story if the characters don't grow up a little. Thanks so much for agreeing with me! lol. Um...I can't neuter Kouga. BelleDayNight would fry my little feathers off.

Row: Really? Thanks a lot. I totally appreciate it. I'm gonna have to update that story sooner or later. lol.

Larka the White Wolf: Yup, Kouga's the new H. W. I. C. (Head Wolf In Charge) Poor Inu-chan. He'll live though. lol. I'm another fighter chick! I love a good fight! Shippou's a hard little dude to make complex. He likes to rebel. Oh, as to where I live, I'm a Southern girl. lol. I'm one of the good ole girls from the Carolinas.

ShindyNova: Souten is the little girl that fights with Shippou. I thought she would be the perfect person for him to crush on since they have some sort of conflict (if you can call anything that cute a conflict) in the anime. Nope, Kikyou's not evil here. I don't know why but I can't seem to make Kikyou evil. I hate the girl with all my guts but I can't make her into the devil. It sucks! grrrrr. I've got this entire story mapped out! Hey, that's a rare thing cause the other stories (and I mean all of them but this one) were spur of the moment things. This story only has a few more chapters to go! (Thank GOD! lol)

Crystal Black Fire: I haven't heard the new one...nor the old ones. I don't think I'm a big A. L. fan. I like some of her songs but not all. Oh, and that story is The Breaking Point. I've really got to update that one sometime soon.

aznchicki: YAY! You finished it! Congrats. I bet it was an uphill battle with your feet stuck in in buckets filled with cement. lol. My ending team was Squall, Riona and Zell, but I'm trying to beat it again with Selphie. I'm in love with that Limit Break of hers. Riona's Limit Breaks are pretty sweet too. They're a lot like Selphie's except for one but that one has to be the best one in the game. I can't remember what it's called but it makes you invisible so your enemy can't hit you. Now that's beautiful. Oh, but I plan on giving a couple of people in the story a few Limit Breaks myself. I've got a couple of good ones for Kagome already.

nancy: You're French? Cool! Hey, no problem. I totally understand about the language thing. I'm glad you like the stories. Sesshoumaru and Kagome are going to fall in love slowly, so slowly that they won't even realize it until the very last moment.

Diana Artemis Silvermoon: Hey, anything for you guys. I thought a new way to explain the marks would be good for the story. As for the necklace...maybe. You never know. Oh, you asked questions. Yay! I love questions. Um...let's see. Answer 1) Shippou isn't the heir. Remember what Inuyasha said (I think he said it)? If not, then he was SUPPOSED TO SAY (slaps Inu upside the head for not listening) was that the kitsunes that used to rule the South disappeared about 150 years ago. That's important to the story though so remember it. Answer 2) The panther demon from the big brawl at the Garden was the tai, or Deva, of Esther 3)Um...that last one is a REALLY good question. What would happen? Hmmmm...I'm gonna have to think about that for a while.

Shabopo: I don't know if you did or didn't but I'm glad to see you now. I hope this chapter answered your question about her magic and her eyes cause they are connected on some level. Nope, she's not a sorceress. I thought about it and decided not to do it. It's wayy to easy to guess that kind of thing. I think you're right about Rinoa too. Kagome's parents sent her to the Garden because of something but that's not going to be brought up until a few chapters from now. I'm going to re-spell Souten's name. I screwed that up badly and some people are 'pointing' it out to me.

Dark Neko-chan: Thank you so much! I'm glad you're feeling better. Never mind Sesshou though. He's happy that you're feeling better too.

Okibi Usagi: In the anime Souten DOES get the cutest crush on Shippou, but it's going to be a mutual thing here. Inuyasha is feeling a little guilty about what he said to her so he's going to fix it when he sees her...um, when he see's her is the question.


	15. What Child is This?

Disclaimer: Yeah, I don't own it. I'm telling you, it depresses the hell out of me too. I don't know what to say.

Chapter Fifteen: What Child is This?

_Last time:..._

"_What is it?" Kagome asked as she stared in awe at the mechanical wonder. She turned to Sesshoumaru and found his face as impassive as ever except for his eyes, which shimmered with excitement as if they were standing in front of the Holy Grail. "Sesshoumaru?" she said as she tugged on his arm. He blinked once before glancing down at Kagome, her teal blue eyes wide in confusion as she waited for him to explain. "What's going on? What is it?"_

_He smiled down at her, one of his rare, true smiles that left her slightly dazed, amazed, and slightly jealous that something so beautiful could come from a man._

"_It's another airship," he replied evenly, his voice calm despite the obvious effect the discovery had on him. Kagome's mind stuttered to a start as he waited for what he said to sink in. The first real ray of understanding finally shone in her eyes and before she could utter a word Sesshoumaru swooped her up and spun her around, the smile on his lips still in place as Kagome's happy and excited laugh echoed throughout the hanger._

I

Sesshoumaru set her down as swiftly as he picked her up and quickly approached the airship, never bothering to turn around or stop as he left Kagome dizzy, confused and reeling. Kagome barely steadied herself in time, her shaky hand delicately placed over her fluttering heart while she waited for the room to stop spinning. Try as she might, she just couldn't seem to forget the image of him smiling as he held her, how warm his arms were nor the certain _something_ that sparked in her breast when he-

'Oh no,' Kagome growled at herself as she viciously shook away her thoughts and the turn they decided to take. 'I'm not about to go down that road with Mr. Icicle and end up like those groupies of his.' She brushed herself off and jogged to his side, all warm feelings for the taiyoukai vanishing while she struggled to catch up. She frowned her displeasure at being almost dumped onto the floor at him and wasn't exactly surprised when she found him to be less than apologetic.

"What kept you?" he lazily drawled as they finally reached the airship's cargo bay door.

"You tossing me down, that's what," Kagome snapped back angrily. "Next time, could you give a girl a little warning before your personalities change?" Sesshoumaru spared her a confused glance and a quirked brow before walking up the ramp through the cargo bay door. To Kagome's surprise, the ship was a near duplicate of the Ragnarok with the only differences being the color of the two ships. This new ship was black and chrome where the Ragnarok was red and black, but the inside was exactly the same.

Kagome followed Sesshoumaru into the engine room and leaned against the doorframe while he did...well..._whatever_ it was that he was doing. She relaxed while he inspected this and studied that with her head lulled against the cold metallic slab beside her. She was moments from falling asleep on her feet when Sesshoumaru gave a soft "Hnh" of disapproval.

"What is it?" she asked after a face-splitting yawn. "What's the matter? Are the engines ok?"

"Yes," Sesshoumaru nodded as he stood up and dusted off his hands. "However..." He sighed again and glared at a set of panels on either side of the narrow corridor. "There are...other problems."

"Such as?" Kagome inquired. She inwardly grimaced at how formal she sounded, blaming her time with the stoic inu youkai for her subtle change in vocabulary as he walked toward her.

"It's nothing," he said as he walked past her and quit the room. "Let's be going. We have the rest of the ship to explore."

Kagome shrugged and followed after him, not once bothering to question why he felt the need to stay so far ahead of her as she quietly walked along. Her bare feet padded lightly along the black rubber of the cargo bay floor and the sheer snowy helm of her nightgown floated behind her like the gossamer wings of an angel. Teal blue eyes narrowed in mild disgust at the dust that had settled on everything around them and her hair swirled around her like a thick, dark cloud when she turned her head to sneeze.

Sesshoumaru watched her while she walked up the stairs to the catwalk, his eyes trained almost affectionately on her lithe form as her hand reached out for the thin metal handrail. Tiny clawless fingertips lightly skimmed along the cool reflective surface and the dark crown of her head were the only parts he could fully see until she looked up at him. Rosy pink lips tilted in a slight smile and the trust she didn't know she exhibited (and he didn't know she had) shone in her eyes. For once Sesshoumaru didn't bother arguing when his inner youkai purred at the sight of her and managed to take step one in a long twelve step program.

'She is quite beguiling...for a human.'

Sesshoumaru inwardly smirked when his inner youkai snorted in disgust, then turned and continued down the catwalk to the small hallway on the other side of the dual doors on the other end of the walkway. He had a brief flashback as he stepped through the doors and he remembered the blaring alarms, the smell of smoke and the stench of panic radiating off of his companion.

"Sesshoumaru?"

Sesshoumaru blinked, golden eyes momentarily secreted away before focusing on Kagome as she stared up at him. He brushed off his momentary daze and stepped onto the platform elevator. He politely extended his hand to Kagome, who ignored it for the safety rail, and stood back when she boosted herself up onto the elevator beside him. Kagome's independent behavior didn't bother him as much as it would have a few months prior to their current situation. Enough time spent in her presence left Sesshoumaru with a tolerance for her sudden spurts of self-determination and he left thoughts of her behind as the elevator finally stopped.

Sesshoumaru stepped off and audibly groaned at the mess of tangled wires that was the pilot's console. The top of the console set on one side of the console booth while the pilot's chair leaned against the navigation's console. A clear plastic bag filled with various nuts and bolts protruded the chair's cupholder. Multicolored wires spewed from the open console and a small glass orb the size of a tennis ball sat along the edge of the counter beside it. Sesshoumaru picked it up and inspected it, his critical eye searching for any cracks, dings or imperfections before pocketing it and moving on to the passengers' deck.

"So," Kagome began as she shattered the comfortable silence between them. "What's the damage so far?"

Sesshoumaru released a set of wires he found hanging from a food processor console and turned to her, his eyes darkening seriously before he grasped one of the chairs and sat down. "For one, the laser eye door opener for the hanger needs replacing," he stated nonchalantly while Kagome sat down across from him. "Then there's the coolant and the environmental systems in the engine room. The coolant system is partially installed and the climate control isn't installed at all."

"Is it that important?" Kagome inquired. "I mean, do we really need the climate control system?"

"I suppose not," Sesshoumaru determined as le leaned back in his chair and relaxed. "That is, if you do not mind being baked to a crisp by the engines."

"I thought that was what the coolant was for," Kagome replied in confusion. "So how would the engines affect the inside of the ship?"

"The coolant prevents the engines from overheating," Sesshoumaru explained. "The climate control not only provides heat and air conditioning, it also wicks the heat from the engines away from the rest of the ship and keeps it confined to the coolant tubes."

"Oh, ok then," Kagome readily accepted. "What else?"

"There's the pilot's console, which apparently was completely dismantled before whatever it was happened to cause the lockdown," Sesshoumaru pointed out. "That and the food processor in this room are the only things I find to be in disrepair."

"So how long do you think it'll take to fix everything?" was Kagome's next question. Sesshoumaru mentally sighed and gently grasped the bridge of his nose to ward off a coming frustration headache. "I would say six, maybe seven weeks or more, especially since everything here is in Al Bhed. The climate control system alone is going to take at least six days to properly install. One can only hope that there are supplies on the first floor that can help fix everything."

"Well I'll help you read the labels and stuff," Kagome quickly offered. "And I'm sure I can help fix someth-"

"I highly doubt that," Sesshoumaru interrupted before rising to his feet and leaving the room. "You are more likely to hinder than help."

"Just what is your problem?" Kagome hissed as she jumped up and walked out after him. "I'm only trying to help! Why are you being so pissy?"

"Little gunner, exactly what have you helped me with since we fell through this God forsaken hole?" Sesshoumaru growled from between clenched teeth. "One would think that you were on vacation while leaving this Sesshoumaru to do all the work."

"Well you never said you **needed** any help!" Kagome snapped back just as quickly. "All you have to do is ask Sesshoumaru and I'm right there! And STOP calling me that!"

Sesshoumaru laughed when she veered off subject, then nodded and reached out to pat her bare shoulder. "Alright then," he relented as he noticed how cool her skin was against the palm of his hand. "If you insist on helping, then we shall begin tomorrow. This will not hinder your training with myself and ART."

"Yeah, I kinda figured I wouldn't be able to escape that," Kagome grumbled good-naturedly. "It didn't even occur to me to try."

They left the plane side by side, their sense of comradery strengthened as Sesshoumaru gave her a gentle push toward the elevator. "Then be off. You're tired and you will need the rest."

"Fine," Kagome replied as she made her way to the elevator on the other side of the room. "But you should get some sleep too."

"I've already had my sleep," he replied with a brief nod of acknowledgment at her concern. "But I will keep your concern in mind."

"OK then." Kagome stepped into the waiting elevator and waved just as the doors closed. "Goodnight Sesshoumaru..."

Sesshoumaru waited for the elevator to begin it's descent to sigh, his eyes briefly fluttering closed before opening them to gaze at the airship beside him. 'Now what to call you...' he wondered as he skimmed over the hull's dark reflective side. He stopped at what looked to be silver calligraphy scrawled around the upper part of the front right leg.

"Black Dragon," he read aloud and nodded in approval. 'Yes, the name is fitting. Now let's see if I can get you to work...'

II

Kagome stood knee deep in boxes in one of the supply rooms on the first floor, searching for a box of supplies that Sesshoumaru asked her to find.

"Now where are they," she whispered to herself as she tossed aside a nearby box. "They should be here somewhere so-ah hah!" she cried out as she plucked free a small box filled with various replacement wires. "Now maybe he can quit being such a sour-puss and give me a break!"

Kagome had become Sesshoumaru's errand girl over the course of a week and when she wasn't 'fetching' boxes of nuts, bolts, screws and other bits and pieces of hardware she was standing by **waiting** for him to send her off for boxes of nuts, bolts, screws and other bits of hardware. What little free time she had was spent either sleeping or training with ART to which she again had to deal with Sesshoumaru's insistent slave driving.

"Oh stop it Kagome," she scolded herself as she dropped the box of wires onto a small trolley cart with a couple of other boxes. "It's not like he's asking you to bend over backwards or something. Besides, you wanted to help remember? (Sigh) But who knew he'd be such a stickler about things?" She sighed again and began to push the cart down the hallway to the elevator, but stopped when she found Sesshoumaru standing in the middle of one of the offices. He was staring at a small glowing orb nestled in his hands and he only looked up when Kagome cleared her throat.

"That isn't necessary you know," Sesshoumaru told her when she looked as if to do it again. "I know you are there."

"Then how about a 'hi'?" Kagome quipped snidely with her fists fastened to her sides. Sesshoumaru quirked a brow, unaware that his quiet little helper was considering shaving it off the next time he slept, and beckoned her to his side.

"What is this?" Sesshoumaru asked as he pointed toward the glowing ball in his hands. Kagome glanced at the orb the size of a small TV and smiled. "Wow," she said as Sesshoumaru rolled the ball into her hands. "I haven't seen one of these in a long time." She peered into the ball and grinned at the image, then handed it back to Sesshoumaru. "It's called a Sphere and it was the way people documented live video feed. It's kinda like our DVDs and VHSs."

"And what is he saying?" Sesshoumaru inquired before pointing toward a nearby computer console. "And what is that?"

"Um..." She turned away from Sesshoumaru and the sphere to lean over the computer's keyboard. "This looks like an employee log for a medical research facility," she said as she clicked on a couple of names. "Now let's see here...oh! Here we go. According to this, there used to be a hospital or something like that above us. This underground part was for medical research and military applications."

"What kind of military applications?" Sesshoumaru wondered with a mental groan. His main purpose for venturing into this room was to search for a control panel to lift the lockdown. The thought of having to deal with the 'military applications' this place may have left him feeling rather put out and annoyed. "Are we dealing with something dangerous?"

"I don't know," Kagome admitted. "Most of the records here are staff records. Everything's divided by class too and what country they're from. There are three people that stick out though."

"Who are they?" Sesshoumaru asked as he sat the sphere back onto the desk and leaned closer to the screen. "And why exactly do they 'stick out'?"

"It's three doctors, Richard Gippal, Christopher Baralai and Joseph Nooj," Kagome answered as she read off the console screen. "They stick out because of what they do-did and their positions here. All three were pretty much the leaders of the underground research facility and were in charge of all of the experiments and research performed here.

"Dr. Gippal was in charge of Machina Research, Dr. Baralai was in charge of Chemical Viral and Spiritual Applications, and Dr. Nooj was in charge of Military Weaponry with Alchemy Applications. That's all it says about them other than where they're from and," at this she cast a wry glare in Sesshoumaru's direction. "I seriously doubt you care where they're from."

"You're right," Sesshoumaru announced as he stood up and retrieved the sphere. "I don't care. Now is it possible to translate this image?"

"Yeah sure," Kagome said as she reached for the ball again. "Let me see it a sec." Sesshoumaru held the ball still while Kagome connected a set of wires she pulled from the back of the computer's harddrive. They both looked up when a bright light shone from a small hole behind them and watched as a fuzzy projection appeared on the empty white wall beside the door. A man's face appeared a few seconds later and they watched as he adjusted the camera before taking a seat behind the desk and clearing his throat.

"That must be Dr. Nooj," Kagome concluded as she gestured to the tall man with dark brown eyes, round framed glasses rimmed with a thin wire frame and chestnut hair sectioned in thick twisted locks. "We must be in his office."

Sesshoumaru nodded once and turned back to the projection when Dr. Nooj glanced up at the camera.

"Today ended our three month trial for our Blackout virus," Nooj drawled in a soft tenor that was as smooth as rum. "Unfortunately for us, and for our investors, the Blackout virus has proven to be a colossal failure. The project's lack of success can be blamed on many factors but the most important one was time. Though the virus is effective on an offensive level, our vaccine is ineffective and our cure is nonexistent. The Board of Trustees has threatened to disband the Face-"

"What's the Face?" Sesshoumaru asked Kagome. Kagome shrugged and leaned over the computer once again before answering. "I think that's the name they gave this part of the research facility," she said and nodded when the computer confirmed it. "The hospital part was sort of like a cover, so they called it the Mask. The center's real purpose was down here on these floors, so they called it the Face."

"I see," Sesshoumaru mumbled thoughtfully. He returned his attention to Dr. Nooj as he continued his video diary.

"On a personal note," Dr. Nooj said before reaching for a pen from a nearby container that was absent from Kagome and Sesshoumaru's version of the room. "I wish to note that doctors Gippal and Baralai are not getting along as well as one would have hoped."

"Well duh," Kagome mumbled under her breath. "What did they expect when they put them together."

"What do you mean?" Sesshoumaru asked. "Why would they not get along?"

"Well, Dr. Gippal's an Al Bhed and Dr. Baralai's New Yevon, that religious group ART was telling us about last week," Kagome said while Dr. Nooj continued in the background. "At the time, the Al Bhed Machine Faction and Bevelle, the city where New Yevon was based in, were at war. According to ART, the Al Bhed couldn't compete with the summoners on New Yevon's side and that's why this place was built. They must have disguised it as a hospital to keep New Yevon from destroying it. Dr. Baralai must have defected to the Al Bhed's side. Oh, another journal entry is beginning," Kagome pointed out when the projection fuzzed before showing another screen.

Dr. Nooj sat in the middle of this one as well but a look of genuine concern darkened his face as he stared grimly at the camera. "The Board of Trustees nearly shut us down today. It's their belief that, since we have yet to produce something of benefit to the war, this facility is a waste of both time and money. Lord Endo stated that the waste of funds on our facility was both 'gross and irresponsible' and that our funding should be stripped immediately.

"Dr. Gippal, who had been absent for most of the meeting, announced that he had an idea for yet another project. He moved to state that his idea for a weapon almost guaranteed results and to make it work he would have to have the support of the board. He stated that our viral, weaponry, and machina were a waste of funds because of our enemy's ability to predict them. He presented the idea of something that they wouldn't be able to predict, something that would infiltrate the enemy's defenses and destroy them from the inside out. The board immediately voted for Dr. Gippal's idea and appointed him to be project leader.

"In all honesty, this worries me. Richard is a fine doctor but an insane light shines in his eyes. He seems dazed, sleep-depraved and I don't believe he's capable of running a facility as large as this or a project as important as the one we have now." The screen fuzzed again before a tiny red light appeared on the lower left hand corner of the screen.

"Dr. Baralai has left the facility," Nooj said from his place off camera. "No one knows where he has gone. The military believes that he's returned to Bevelle, but I don't. Something has happened to Christopher and I believe the same shall happen to me."

The screen fuzzed again for the final time, then shrank down to a pinprick before the sphere in Sesshoumaru's hand stopped glowing. "That's all," Kagome whispered as Sesshoumaru placed the sphere on the wooden desktop. "That was weird, don't you think?"

"Perhaps," Sesshoumaru commented before glancing out the door at Kagome's trolley cart. "Are those my supplies?"

"Um, yeah. Hee-hee," Kagome laughed sheepishly as she scratched the back of her head. "Sorry about that. I forgot I had them."

"Well thank you for gathering them all the same," Sesshoumaru said before he grasped the cart and began to push it toward the elevator. "Oh, and Kagome?"

"Yes Sesshoumaru?" Kagome called as she stuck her head into the hallway.

"Be sure to locate a set of wire cutters."

"Yes Sesshoumaru," Kagome drawled flatly as he stepped onto the elevator. "I'll get right on it." She growled when he finally disappeared and flopped bonelessly against the doorframe in her frustration. "Crud," she groaned with dramatic hand over her eyes. "Doesn't that youkai know when to slow down? Sheesh." She glanced down at the sphere sitting on the table, her curiosity spiked as she began to wonder about the rest of the facility and the staff.

'What would it hurt to find out more about them?' Kagome asked herself as she left the office and made her way back to the supply closets. There's got to be something, anything that could tell me what happened to the doctors. And what was the weapon Dr. Gippal came up with?'

III

ART waited patiently for Kagome to come out of the locker room, his hands clasped in front of him while he dutifully leaned against the wall between the two sets of locker room doors. He glanced at the door when he heard a slight grunt from inside and shook his head at Kagome's muttered curse.

"Are you in need of assistance?" ART asked and laughed when she growled something obscene in his direction. "I was merely asking. I only wanted to help."

"Yeah right," Kagome grumbled as she stepped into the dojo. "Like I'm going to believe you. I swear, I never believed a computer program could be a pervert until I met you."

"Why Kagome," ART said, his hands clasped over his heart and a wounded look crossing his face as he walked backward toward the center of the floor. "You wound me."

"Yeah, I'm sure I have," Kagome retorted sarcastically. "And while I'm thinking about it, what's with this get-up? Could this be any tighter or what?"

ART shrugged before checking out his handiwork. The long-sleeved white shirt and pants she wore were a little snug, but it showed off her curves in such a way that he honestly couldn't find any fault with it. Her gunblade was slung around her waist, the shimmery silver belt set low on her hips as the blue metal shone inside it's holster. "I'm not sure Kagome," ART said when he began to circle around her. "I'm sure it could be tighter, but I didn't think you would be comfortable."

"Yeah, yeah," Kagome laughed. "You and your jokes. So what are we learning today ART?"

"I thought I'd teach you a new way to move. If you would follow me." Kagome complied easily enough and watched as ART dropped to a crouch before mimicking him. She frowned in confusion when he placed his hands in front of him but repeated his actions all the same before questioning him.

"Um, ART?" she began as she struggled to crawl about. "Only youkai move about like this comfortably. Why are you teaching it to me?"

"For one; youkai aren't the only ones who can do this and two; you've got to learn how to move in any kind of way," ART replied. "After you first learned how to swim, didn't your 'Garden' teach you how to swim with your arm tied behind your back? Or maybe they tied your legs together? Either way, this is to teach you to adapt to a handicap such as a broken arm, broken leg or just low ceilings. The easier you can move, the better off you'll be."

"Oh alright fine," Kagome huffed irritably. "But I still think this is dumb."

"It is not dumb," ART countered before placing his hand on her lower back. "Your backside is too high. Lower it some."

"And just how would you know?" Kagome grunted as she adjusted herself. ART kept his hand in place as Kagome ambled about the room, her gait slow and clumsy at first but soon began to even out.

"Not bad," Art said after fifteen minutes. "That's pretty good for your first try. You'll be a natural in about a week or so."

"Ugh," Kagome grunted painfully as she stood back up and stretched. "That really sucks ART. Are you sure about teaching me this?"

"I am. Now, let's continue shall we." Kagome stepped back when ART froze and his eyes rolled to the back of his head, but forgot him entirely when gears began to whirl around them. "What's that?" she asked as she turned around to look at the rest of the room. "And why does it sound like it's coming from the walls?"

"That's because it is," ART replied above the whirling gears. "It's time for you to learn something else." Black platforms began to protrude from the walls at different heights, some nearly parallel to the floor while others were inches from the ceiling.

"What's that? How to fight from different heights?" Kagome joked and turned to him. She gasped when he glared at her, all traces of her normally jovial companion whisked away in favor of this menacing figure. Parts of the walls opened up to reveal more ARTs, with four more stepping into the room. They were dressed in the same beige, creams and whites of the dojo while her ART was still in his standard issue uniform. All five of them glanced at each other in approval before turning to her with wicked smiles.

"That's part of your training," the ARTs said as their right hands melded and reshaped themselves into large sickles. "But I think you should learn how to deal with multiple enemies at once."

"ART, this is a bad ide-EEP!" Kagome shrieked as one of the ARTs attacked. She ducked his wide sweep and punched it in the stomach, but regretted it when her hand hit nothing but solid metal. "OW!" she howled in agony, her eyes rapidly blinking as she struggled not to cry. She cradled her injured hand against her side and scrambled to get away from him, then cried out again when another ART snuck up behind her and grabbed her by her ponytail. He spun her around quickly, kneed her in the stomach and dropped her to the ground as the other four encircled her. They watched as Kagome coughed and struggled to catch her breath, their mouths set in grim lines and their eyes narrowed in mild annoyance.

"You're not trying hard enough," the ARTs announced as one grabbed Kagome by her hair and dragged her toward him. "There's so much power in you. Why are you afraid to use it?"

"I'm not afraid!" Kagome snarled through her clenched teeth. She raised her hand and cast one of her few remaining Fire spells. The ART clone quickly dropped her and she leapt over it's prone form and sprinted toward the door. "You can't avoid your training Kagome," the original ART said as he and his clones chased after her. She skidded to a stop when the dojo doors closed in front of her and turned around, her eyes doe-like and frightened as the ARTs closed in on her.

Kagome jumped up and back at the last possible moment, the edge of her pants leg barely scraping past ART's outstretched fingers as she leapt up and out of harm's way. ART prepared to follow her when something suddenly seized him by the throat and jerked him forward. Flashes of light and what sounded like lightening were the only sounds he heard before he came face to face with furious crimson orbs.

"Now correct me if I'm wrong," Sesshoumaru snarled in the simulation's face, his poison dripping from his elongated fangs to pool on the floor in a soft hiss. "But I've already warned you about frightening her, correct?"

"I wasn't planning to do her any harm," ART smoothly replied in spite of the vice-like hold Sesshoumaru had on him. "We were merely training."

"What I saw was **not** training," Sesshoumaru growled with an added shake of his hand. "Do not try to fool me. This Sesshoumaru is not the imbecile you take me for."

"I wasn't going to hurt her, I swear," ART explained. "I needed her to think that I would though, so I roughed her up a bit. It won't happen again."

"Yes, I'm sure it won't," Sesshoumaru agreed before unceremoniously dropping ART onto his backside. ART grunted slightly from the impact but made no further sound as Sesshoumaru attempted to calm himself. He planned on watching Kagome's training from afar to assure himself that ART's training was what he felt would be beneficial for her miko development. Imagine his surprise to find her surrounded by copies of ART, the stench of terror rolling off of her in tangible waves as one of the ARTs grabbed her hair and knocked the wind from her. He moved to help her when Kagome broke free and bolted like a scared colt toward himself and the door. He glanced behind him when the doors shut and turned back just in time to see Kagome jump out of the way.

'_We must calm down,_' Sesshoumaru's inner youkai wisely advised. '_The last thing we need is to turn around, frighten her and have her perceive **us** as the threat._'

'I am well aware of this,' Sesshoumaru growled as the last of the red faded from his eyes and his fangs shrank back into his mouth. 'It is not my intention to become purified either.' He turned around and looked up, his head tilted slightly in confusion as Kagome stared down at him. She sat crouched on all fours on the platform above him, her eyes wide, frightened and devoid of all traces of blue. The rims had yet to begin glowing so Sesshoumaru felt it was safe to approach her.

"Kagome," he called out, his voice uncharacteristically low and mellow as he held up his arms to her. "Kagome, it's alright. Come down."

"No."

'At least she's calm,' Sesshoumaru quipped dryly. "Kagome, you can't stay up there forever. ART regrets his actions, don't you ART?"

ART looked up from the remains of one of the four clones, a slender piece of metal fragment grasped in his hands and his lavender eyes slightly dazed. "Hm?"

"Apologize."

"Yes, of course." ART stood up and stepped away from Sesshoumaru, his hands raised in surrender and his face the perfect picture of innocence. "I'm sorry Kagome. I went too far. I didn't mean to scare you."

"There, you see," Sesshoumaru said and gave ART a reminding glare before glancing back to Kagome. "Now come down. He's not going to bother you." Kagome sighed, her eyes closed and she seemed to be having a slight argument with herself before she shrugged and jumped down. "Good girl," Sesshoumaru commented with a gentle pat to the top of her head. He ignored her annoyed growl, grasped her wrist and lead her out of the dojo. "Come on, you're finished for the day," Sesshoumaru told her as the doors opened ahead of them. "I require your assistance in the airship hanger. There are things I cannot translate."

Kagome followed behind him without complaint, but mouthed a quick 'I forgive you' to ART before the doors finally closed between them. ART sighed, shook his head and set about picking up the mess they left behind.

VI

Various bumps and bangs came from the inside an open panel of the control desk and nothing but Sesshoumaru's outstretched legs were visible as he tinkered around the inside of the desk. The control room on the first floor was easier to access than the one on the third but Sesshoumaru still couldn't find the last remaining access panel to the shelter's lockdown. Sesshoumaru growled in frustration, brushed his bang away from his face and set down his screwdriver before sliding out of the desk.

'I don't understand it,' Sesshoumaru thought in frustration as he grabbed a set of needle nose pliers and slid back into the desk. 'There must be some way to disengage the emergency shut down. This facility may have been built by humans, but even they aren't foolish enough to create a procedure that one cannot deactivate.' Sesshoumaru swatted at his hair once again and mentally wished he had braided his bangs back with the rest of his hair instead of giving in to his vanity...though he'd never admit to having such an affliction.

'There's no use in becoming irritated,' Sesshoumaru determined as he pulled a pair of red coated wires toward him. 'So I'll just think about something else for the time being, like what could be happening at the Garden, or what else to train Kagome in-' His subconscious seemed to kick into high gear at the mention of the younger gunner. Picture after mental picture of Kagome flashed in his mind's eye. His focus quickly began to wander and soon he found himself-

)**SNIP!**(

)**POP!**(

)**ZAP!**(

"Crap!" Sesshoumaru barked between coughs. He glared at the gray smoke suddenly billowing from inside the console and used a weakened Aero spell to blow the area clear. He groaned in frustration at a pair of blue wires that were accidentally snipped due to his lack of concentration. 'Blast that infernal woman,' Sesshoumaru snarled as he waved away the last of the smoke. 'Even in her absence she causes trouble.'

He slid from underneath the panel, returned his tools to his pouch and sat up to check the control panel display. He searched the panel for an abnormality and groaned when a single red light flashed on the console. 'Great,' he growled as he translated what he could of the label beside the light. 'Just great...'

)-(

Kagome woke up groggily, her movements sluggish and weak as she opened her eyes. She blankly stared at the ceiling and counted the few blue marks along it's pocked surface before she finally realized what was wrong.

'I'm...hot...'

She sat up stiffly and cleared her throat before wiping the sweat from her brow. She retired early the night before and could remember asking ART (after having a long 'discussion' with him over his behavior in the dojo three days before) to leave the room a bit cooler than it's normal temperature. Now she felt as if she were baking in a slow roasting oven and couldn't seem to catch her bearings. She laid back down when a wave of dizziness hit her and she closed her eyes. She whimpered slightly and gazed up when a cool cloth was placed over her forehead, then gave ART a weak smile as he gazed down on her in concern.

"Are you alright Kagome?" ART asked as he gently wiped her face dry. "I'm reading a slight rise in your internal temperature."

"I'm fine," Kagome assured him. She placed a hand over hers and relished the cool metallic touch that the sensors attached to her temples prevented her from seeing. "I think I'm a little hot, that's all."

"That's understandable," ART said as he stood up from the edge of her bed. "The room is now 90 degrees and rising."

"Man, that really, **really** sucks," Kagome moaned miserably. ART smiled sympathetically and returned to her side. Kagome accepted the tumbler of water he offered her gratefully, taking a long drought from the frosty glass before pressing it to her forehead. "That feels so good,' she purred happily. "It's almost sinful."

"I thought that would help you feel better. Now let's get you into a shower. I bet that'll help too." ART picked her up before she could protest and carried her out of the room. He glanced down at her when she sighed and found her snuggled up against him with a contented smile on her face.

"You're so cold ART," Kagome smiled at his questioning stare. "It feels kinda good."

"I'm glad your enjoying yourself," ART said as he entered the dojo. He set Kagome in front of the locker room doors and shooed her inside, ignoring her slight protests and opening the women's locker room door.

"Go on," he urged and shook his head when she began to complain about having nothing to wear. "I'll take care of that. You go on and take your shower."

Kagome relented easily enough and quickly showered, this time managing to accidentally press the button for the cherry blossom shower gel instead of her usual unscented. 'Great,' Kagome complained as she dried off, wrapped the towel around herself and walked toward the locker room door. 'Bad enough it's so hot. Now I'm going to smell like a flower all day. Could be worse. Could smell like manure.' She giggled at the thought and opened the door. ART shoved a brown package through the door before she could speak and closed the door again.

ART smiled to himself at the various slanderous things growled about his person and continued to wait. He frowned when the locker room went silent and moved to call out to her when a small purple ball of light materialized in front of him. He watched it sway from side to side almost drunkenly before careening toward him and knocking him off of his feet.

"Ow..." ART grumbled lightly. "What on ear-" He glanced up and into Kagome's furious eyes as she glared down at him with her fists planted firmly on her hips. "I take it you like your clothes."

"Gee ART," Kagome growled down at him, blue green eyes glowing furiously. "What do you think?"

ART grinned back innocently in response and Kagome huffed. She was dressed in a pair of sapphire blue cowboy boots that grazed her calves, an olive green miniskirt and a bright yellow bikini. The skirt sat low on her hips, revealing the spaghetti like strings of her bikini bottoms and the tiny heart charm sewn to the front of them. Long, thin white sleeves were tied onto her arms with wide white ribbons and the scarf around her neck faded from orange to a dull yellow with the multicolored tassels dangling by her feet. Her hair was pulled back in a high ponytail and a blue headband held her bang away from her face.

"Personally, I think you look...how do you say it...hot?"

Kagome growled in frustration and quit the room, leaving the simulation and his laughter behind as she stormed down the hallway toward the elevator. To her, it seemed like the longer she dealt with ART, the less her clothes covered her. Bad enough that she was in a skirt but the bikini honestly was three pieces of fabric held together with little bits of string. She thought to use one of the strings to hang ART but figured it to be a waste of both time and effort seeing as how he wouldn't suffer any by it.

She stepped off the elevator and strolled calmly into the cafeteria, her anger having smoldered to a light annoyance as she made her way across the floor toward the food processors. Sesshoumaru stood in front of the beverage processor drinking a glass of iced tea. Kagome stood in total awe as he stood there, his eyes closed and the tumbler raised to his thin lips. His bare chest shone with moisture and a thin bead of sweat slowly trickled from the base of his throat, down his chest and stomach, past his bellybutton and disappeared inside the waistband of his pan-

'Eep!' Kagome squeaked as she quickly turned away from him to hide her flaming cheeks. 'He's Inuyasha's brother for cripe's sake!' she scolded herself while Sesshoumaru returned his glass to it's processor and watched her. 'Jeez, I've seen the guy with pink hair, acne and heard his voice crack! No WAY am I going to turn into another Miroku!'

Sesshoumaru drifted through the technical caverns of his mind, his thoughts rubbing and pushing against one another in an attempt to find a solution to his current climate control problem. So engrossed was he in his thoughts that he remained oblivious to Kagome's presence until her timid little squeak reached his sensitive ears.

'How long has she been standing there?' he wondered to himself as Kagome finally turned around. 'And just what was she _doing_?'

"Oh, hey Sesshoumaru," Kagome nervously giggled in greeting, her right hand raising to give a half-hearted wave as the last of her blush disappeared from her cheeks. "What's going on?"

"Nothing that you should concern yourself with," Sesshoumaru assured her as he adjusted the belt holding his wide camel-toned pants in place. "All should be working in proper order soon."

"Oh, um...ok then," Kagome said while he walked past her. "Are you sure? Cause if you need help with something then I'm your girl."

"No," Sesshoumaru growled out testily. "I don't need your help. Stay out of the way."

'Well,' Kagome huffed, her fists planted firmly on her hips as she watched him walk away. 'I know he's got a lot on his plate but jeez, he didn't have to bite my head off.'

'Fine then," she mumbled to herself as she turned around and continued on her way toward the processors. "Let him figure it out then. I didn't want to help the stubborn little puppy anyways." She froze as a chill shot its way along her spine, her limbs refusing to move as her eyes widened at the sudden change in the room's atmosphere. Sweat trickled down her back and she began to nervously chew her lip while the miko senses she and ART were working so hard on alerted her to a dangerous force somewhere in the room. She turned slowly, her instincts warning her against making any sudden moves, and glanced over her shoulder into a furious pair of narrowed, frigid gold orbs.

"What was that?"

"Um..." Kagome muttered as she turned around to fully face him. "Eheh. I was just joking. I didn't think you could hear me." She audibly gulped when his eyes narrowed, a sudden frost chilling his already cool eyes before he took his first step toward her. "Um...eheh. I was just kidding Sesshoumaru," Kagome said as she retreated away from him. "No need to get your boxers in a twist-oh man!" She slapped her forehead while she continued to back away from the pissed off taiyoukai. "Jeez Kagome," she scolded herself softly. "Make him madder why don't you!"

Kagome moved to speak again when her ankle rapped sharply against a nearby chair let. She cried out in pain and shock as she tripped and fell backward. She closed her eyes and braced herself for a painful meeting with the cold linoleum floor.

Sesshoumaru stood by and watched her fall, fully aware of the table that waited to greet her instead of the floor she expected. He honestly couldn't explain his sudden fury toward her, though he was already irritated from the climate control problem from earlier that morning. Somehow it, her comment and his inner youkai's constant insistence at his control caused hm to snap in a completely different direction. Kagome glanced back upon impact...

Unaware that her life became his the moment she turned away from him.

Kagome shrieked when something heavy pounced on her and a loud, deafening **BOOM** reverberating off the cafeteria's walls. She cautiously opened on turquoise eye, then the other and gaped at the spider web cracks beside her head in the table's once pristine surface. The fist embedded in the center of the crack rose slowly, little bits and pieces of hard plastic falling from it's knuckles in movie-like slow motion. She followed the fist as it opened, long thin fingers ending in razor sharp extended claws that clicked together as if chimes in the wind. Sesshoumaru waited until she finally came to him, her pupils dilating wide in shock before sharpening to a tiny dark pinprick.

"Sesshoumaru, I-" She winced when he growled, her mouth closing with an audible click as she waited for whatever he decided to do. Sesshoumaru slowly slid his free hand beneath her head and quickly jerked her toward him, her face suspended inches from his while he studied over her features with pink-tinged orbs. She was afraid, that much was certain by her eyes and scent, but that trust he held him in still shone above everything else.

To Sesshoumaru, she was nothing short of infuriating, a headache wrapped in an enigma but to his inner youkai she was like some sort of muse. She confused him and he hated to be confused. He couldn't understand how or why things were the way they were but or how he lost control...but he knew it was him, not his inner youkai, that initiated the kiss. It started out rather brutally so her fright was understandable. Kagome laid frozen beneath him, her eyes wide emeralds as his lips smashed against hers. Her fright ebbed as the kiss softened and her eyes fluttered closed when his touch became feather soft.

She tasted of honey and warmth, a delicacy that melted against his lips like ice cream on a summer day. She relaxed and to his surprise hesitantly began to kiss him back. Kagome was nervously shy and it was obvious that he was the first to ever experience her in such a way. He pulled her hair free of it's ponytail and ran gentle claws through the obsidian mass of curls and waves. He traced her bottom lip with his tongue then slipped it into her mouth when she sighed.

The kiss was better than anything Kagome could have possibly dreamed of. Years of imagining what it would be like to have such a moment with Inuyasha paled in comparison to what she was experiencing now with Sesshoumaru. Behind that cold, evasive mask lay a passion that burned like wildfire across her senses. A coil inside her tummy loosened, then curled in on itself as his tongue stroked hers in a sensual caress that blew her world apart. Her hands tangled themselves deep within the hair at the nape of his neck and some small part of her marveled at the smooth, fur like strands passing between her fingers.

Sesshoumaru and his inner youkai became of one mind when she began to participate, both sides of the youkai purring in satisfaction as clawed hands traveled the voluptuous curves of his companion's landscape. He pulled away from her mouth to kiss her chin and smirked when she whimpered in mild protest. He reassured her with a soft 'woof' and continued to trace soft nips, licks and kisses along her jawline and down her neck. He lifted her high enough for his tail to wind around her before grasping the sides of her skirt and sliding her down the table. He sat down in a nearby chair seconds before pulling her into his lap. He stopped at the sound of a small click from somewhere nearby, his eyes open and his ears tuned in to his surroundings while Kagome rested her head against his collarbone.

"Wh-what?" she gasped out as she struggled to catch her breath. "Why'd you stop?"

"Did you not hear that?"

"Hear what?"

Sesshoumaru said nothing more, but stood up and moved the chair to the side, taking thought to move Kagome behind him as he stared down at a little red button that was hidden by the chair leg. He frowned thoughtfully and wondered to himself how he managed to miss this one potentially important object. His fingers touched the hard metallic surface of the button and sighed, his conclusion that their combined weights were what caused the button's depression and the activation-or deactivation-of whatever it was that the button controlled.

"What is it?" Kagome inquired curiously, her hair spilling over his shoulder to suspend a few millimeters from the floor. "What did we do?"

"I don't know."

He looked up and Kagome gasped as the sound of moving heavy machinery came from outside the room. He unsheathed Shikyo and cautiously approached the door. He glanced back at Kagome once and found the rims of her eyes already glowing a bright, vivid green and the tips of her fingers dancing along Junsei's handle. Sesshoumaru stepped out of the room slowly, only pausing to release Kagome from his tail's boa constrictor hold before rounding the corner and stopping in his tracks.

"Oomph!" Kagome grunted when she ran into the back of him. "Jeez, care to give a girl a little warning next time? What's so-woah," Kagome drawled out. "Did we do that?"

Sesshoumaru mentally rolled his eyes and watched as the enormous white wall that ran around the opposite side of the hallway wrenched itself from the ceiling. It slowly collapsed in on itself, broad sheets of wall sliding into sleeves until nothing was left but the white painted rail and a wide abyss. Kagome gingerly leaned over the rail, glancing up first, then down before turning to Sesshoumaru.

"Everything but the second floor is open," she said as Sesshoumaru glanced over the rail. "All of the floors, including the ones below us, seem to have lost their outer walls." She frowned when Sesshoumaru remained silent, then "Eep!" ed and jumped backward when a bright pillar of light shot past her from the depths of the abyss. The light surged with an intense light, leaving Kagome and Sesshoumaru to shield their eyes before it finally shrank down to the very center of the circle.

"What was that?" Kagome exclaimed as she hesitantly looked over the rail again.

"That," ART called out as he walked out of the dojo on the other side of the circle. "Is Synergy, the main computer, taking over."

"Taking over? Does that mean the lockdown's lifted?" Kagome asked and grinned when ART nodded. "Isn't that great Sesshoumaru?"

"Yes, quite."

'Well,' Kagome griped, then huffed and folded her arms underneath her breast. 'There went that magical moment. Huh, how long did I think it would last anyway?'

"That also means," ART said as he walked the circle ramp-way toward them. "That the shelter's climate control system has been turned off and the main climate control on. There's no need to replace that wire now Lord Sesshoumaru."

"Then there is one good thing to come out of this," Sesshoumaru commented dryly. He glanced over at Kagome and visibly twitched, the cease fire between himself and his inner youkai terminated as his other side practically jerked him toward the younger SeeD. 'No,' he snapped at his persistent other side. 'There's work to be done.' He sighed when it whined, mentally shook his head and assured his inner youkai of another time...he just never said when.

"What's down there?" Kagome asked ART next, completely unaware of Sesshoumaru's inner 'musings' as she leaned over the railing once again.

"I'm not sure," ART said as he too attempted to see the ramp to the floor below. "I can't go on those floors."

"Aren't there surveillance cameras?" Kagome wondered and thoughtfully tapped her slightly swollen lower lip. "Then can't you access them? You know, override the main computer program or something."

"No can do," ART replied with a mournful shake of his blonde head. "The Synergy program is much stronger than mine. I would need a massive harddrive upgrade for something like that."

"Hmm...then I guess there's only one way to find out what's down there." Kagome looked to the elevator on the far right side of the hallway and frowned, then looked down at the rail before a sly grin spread across her face. She grasped the rail and leapt over before either male had a chance to protest. Sesshoumaru blinked out of his stupor seconds before her hands disappeared from the last part of the railing and jumped down after her.

He landed silently on the dimly lit walkway. The flickering overhead lights bothered his vision terribly and he was certain Kagome had no visual of their surroundings whatsoever. A bright light burst to life a few feet to his right as Kagome's Fire spell broke through the darkness. The bright orange ball burned in the palm of her right hand, setting her face aglow and giving her eyes an eerie yellow cast.

"Got anything to burn?"

"Excuse me," Sesshoumaru asked as he returned to his senses. "What was that?"

"Do-you-have-anything-to-burn?" Kagome repeated slowly and sighed when he shook his head. "Great. Well, what do we do now?"

"For one, having a conversation about you jumping over railings is in order," Sesshoumaru quipped. "I do believe you've forgotten your body's limitations."

"Nuh-uh," Kagome disagreed as she walked past him down the walkway. "I wasn't going to fall you know."

"Perhaps, but what if you had?" Sesshoumaru commented. "You do know that a mere Float spell wouldn't keep you in the air."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Kagome replied, her head tilting from side to side with each 'yeah'. "I swear, I think you think you're my father or something." Sesshoumaru wrapped his tail around her waist and yanked her backward before she could utter a sound, successfully bringing them nose to nose as mischievous golden eyes shone back at her.

"One should hope not," he half-whispered, half growled against her lips. "I definitely don't want you to think of your father when you look at me."

"You're a pervert," Kagome growled out before wacking his tail in a silent demand to be put down. He released her with a smirk and took a deep breath as she stormed off, her embarrassment and arousal permeating her lily scent before a sudden spike of shock and fear replaced them. He appeared beside her almost instantly, his fingertip glowing white in preparation of his lightening whip. The Fire spell in Kagome's hands disappeared and she turned into him, her head buried against his chest and her fingers grasping the belt loops of his pants. She trembled violently, her eyes squeezed shut and her breathing erratic as she avoided whatever it was that frightened her like the plague.

Sesshoumaru draped a loose arm around her shoulders and waved his finger about the pathway. He caught sight of a large, rust colored stain by his feet. He followed the trail to a wall splattered with the same rust colored stain, his nose having caught the coppery scent of old blood and death long before he saw the skeleton slumped down beneath the bloodstain. The left side of it's skull was crushed, the jaw fractured, and three of it's ribs snapped in half.

"It's not going to hurt you Kagome," Sesshoumaru assured her as he gently pushed her away from him. "Don't look if you feel you cannot, but it won't harm you."

"I know that!" she snapped in a shaky voice. "What do you think I think this is, a video game?"

Sesshoumaru quirked a brow at her logic but stooped down to further study the remains. He found nothing more than his first observings, so he brushed his hands off and stood between Kagome and the skeleton. "Whatever killed her is long gone," he concluded as he sniffed about the hallway. "There is little trace of it's scent on her remains."

"How do you know it's a she?" Kagome asked from her place by the railing. She shuddered violently, her hands tightening to a white-knuckle grip as she struggled to regain control of herself.

"Female skulls tend to be smaller than males."

"Huh?" she said as she turned to him. "Say again?"

"Female skulls tend to be smaller than the males," Sesshoumaru repeated before guiding her past the skeleton and further down the hallway. "I studied advanced biology before I graduated. It is the only reason I know."

"Sure you didn't look it up just for the heck of it?" Kagome joked weakly. She stood confused when he turned to her, his face somber and his eyes set before raising his palm to her face. She tried to turn away but couldn't. Her entire body stood frozen on the spot but it ebbed away before she could panic, with blindness soon replacing it.

"Sesshoumaru?" she called out as she waved her hands around. "What's going on? Why can't I see?"

"I've cast a Blind spell on you," he said from somewhere on Kagome's left. "I will guide you until it wears off."

"Why'd you cast it in the first place?" she demanded before the furry tip of his tail wound itself around her right hand. She grabbed it when it slithered across the palm of her hand and squeaked in surprise when the rest of it wound itself around her waist and lifted her off the ground. "Hey, are you going to answer me?" she called out when she felt them moving. "And why are you always carrying me? What do you think I am, a kite!"

"Kites are quieter," Sesshoumaru remarked softly as he opened the first of three doors on the floor. He moved from room to room and found more skeletons among the lab equipment and supplies. Old blood was splattered onto nearly every surface and the scent of death choked the air from the rooms. He re-cast Kagome's Blind spell and jumped down to the next floor, then the next, each floor a repeat of the first until he opened a door on the seventh floor.

Inside was well lit and clean with the occasional beeps and blips from the computer in the center of the room the only sound. The carnage that took precedent over the earlier rooms was nonexistent here and he settled Kagome onto one of the couches nearby before casting an Esuna spell to cure her blindness.

"Where are we?" Kagome asked as her vision began to clear. She watched as Sesshoumaru's shadowy figure walked toward the center of the room and blinked, her eyes clearing slowly as the room came into focus. They were in some sort of luxury control room cast in comforting shades of white. Four control consoles were stationed in the center of the room. Together they encircled a gigantic sphere that fluctuated between hues of green, purple and blue. "What is that?" she asked as Sesshoumaru began to work on a nearby console.

"I was rather hoping you'd know," he responded as he scrolled through the lists of commands on the console's built in screen. He understood more Al Bhed than Kagome realized and he easily translated enough of the words to activate the console's main programing. He stepped back when the sphere began to glow, the shifting of colors occurring at a breakneck pace as a holographic figure slowly took shape in the center of the whirlwind of colors.

The figure was another youkai, this time a female with a slender build and long violet hair. Her dress and eyes were the same hue and she closed her eyes briefly before raising her hands and addressing them.

"Welcome back Lord Endo," she greeted in a deep alto designed for singing children to sleep. "You have been away for quite some time."

Sesshoumaru opened his mouth to correct her when Kagome shook her head. She tapped her head and in seconds he was in her mind. She stood there dressed in a blue and white cheerleading uniform with a large banner that read 'Play Along!' in her hands. Sesshoumaru exited her mind and shook his head, making a mental note to question her on her choice of clothing before turning to the computer. "Who are you?"

"My lord, I am Synergy," the hologram replied with a stiff bow. "I am the Face's main operating system. Do you not remember?"

"Yes, of course," Sesshoumaru commented coldly. Apparently nothing in this place respected him.

"What is that with you?" she asked as she turned to Kagome. "I do not recognize her DNA signature."

"She's my companion," Sesshoumaru answered briefly. "Synergy," he began as Synergy continued to stare at Kagome. "I require a status report of all projects here at this facility."

"Of course Lord Endo," Synergy complied. She swept her hand to the right of the sphere and a small lists of projects appeared by her right hip. Sesshoumaru and Kagome glanced over the list, both silently marking off things they felt would be of little interest to them until they came to an odd entry.

"What are Experiments One, Two, Three and Four?" Sesshoumaru asked as he tapped the entry. It moved from the list to open its own window in front of Synergy's knees.

"The Experiments have been either sold or on lock down Lord Endo," Synergy answered. "Experiment Four is currently under cryogenic suspension. Would you like to see Experiment Four?"

"Yes," Sesshoumaru replied after a quick nod from Kagome. "On the main screen if possible."

"Of course. Experiment Four is currently inside Laboratory Four under Dr. Gippal's exclusive observation."

"That means it's locked," Kagome quipped with a wink at Sesshoumaru. Sesshoumaru ignored her while Synergy stepped aside and a large screen opened up inside the sphere. The image fuzzed and crackled before showing a bird's eye view of a nearby laboratory. Inside were a desk, a chair, an old computer and what appeared to be a small cryogenic chamber.

"It's so small," Kagome whispered as she cautiously touched the screen. "It must have been for a baby, don't you think?"

Sesshoumaru nodded in agreement, the questions in his head mounting one by one as he returned his attention to Synergy. "Are there any visual documents of the experiments?"

"Starting from Four," Synergy said as the laboratory surveillance faded away. Another image took its place, this time with a photo of a man holding a small infant.

"Who is the man in the picture?" Sesshoumaru inquired.

"That is Dr. Richard Gippal," Synergy answered. "And Experiment Four."

"They experimented on little kids?" Kagome gasped in disgust. "Gah, just what kind of people were they?"

Sesshoumaru wrinkled his nose in distaste and full agreement with Kagome, though he refrained from vocalizing it. He chose to study the photo instead. The background was obviously of the laboratory they just peered into, with Dr. Gippal in the foreground holding a little child wrapped in hospital blankets. The child's face was turned away from the camera but the look on the doctor's face was plain to see. The loving stare frozen in time wasn't lost on Sesshoumaru, nor was it's meaning as he looked away from the doctor's bottle green eyes to glance one last time at the child. Hair as dark as blood from the heart curled from underneath the sage green blankets, tiny clawed fingers tightly held onto Dr. Gippal's outstretched finger and a soft glow shone on a small area of the doctor's forehead.

"They're actually cute together," Kagome sighed with a gentle smile. "I don't think he experimented on the little thing at all."

"What makes you so certain?" Sesshomaru inquired as Synergy moved on to a picture of Experiment Four. He frowned as yet another picture was devoid of the child's face, not that it mattered if it were still asleep in the lab.

"It's the way he looked at it," Kagome smiled. "There's no way someone with that much adoration in his eyes would allow any harm to come to that baby. Nope, no way at all."

"It's good to know you're sure about it," Sesshoumaru replied as yet another faceless picture moved into place. "I however, am not."

"Experiment Three," Synergy announced before beginning another slideshow. Sesshoumaru glanced at it briefly, then stopped and fully stared at the picture in front of him. Kagome watched as the closest thing to surprise briefly appeared on his face.

"What?" she asked as another picture flashed on the screen. She glanced at the screen and shrugged, unable to see what the big deal was about the creature. It looked like a large fiend with a mutated tiger youkai for a lower body and a dragon fused to it's back for an upper body. It was jade green with darker forest green stripes along it's flank and legs. "What is it?"

"Show visuals of Experiments One, Two and Three simultaneously," Sesshoumaru commanded instead as he began typing on the console in front of him. Kagome stood by as two more pictures appeared to the left of the first, with all creatures alike except for the color.

"What do you remember of your World History class?" Sesshoumaru asked as he continued to type. "Anything about the second Sorceress War?"

"Um...a little bit," Kagome admitted with a blush. "I didn't exactly pay attention in that class."

"No matter," Sesshoumaru said with one last typed command. "I would not expect you to remember if you had. Two of those three creatures are what they called God Weapons in our history class."

"Oh yeah, I remember them," Kagome interrupted. "But what does that have to do with anything?"

"Our headmaster and his team encountered the first two, the Ultima-" he pointed to the first fiend, this one a dark purple with what looked to be a gunblade in it's hands. "And the Omega-" he pointed to the creature in the middle, this one nearly white with light purple stripes. "The Omega they encountered during their last scrimmage against Sorceress Ultimecia. The Ultima they encountered in an abandoned deep sea deposit. In both encounters they barely escaped with their lives."

"And why does that bother you?" Kagome laughed as she leaned against the console. "Aren't you the one that's all 'Weak human' this and 'puny human' that? What do you have to be afraid of?"

"I don't fear these creatures," Sesshoumaru barked angrily. He took a steady breath when she flinched, closed his eyes and rubbed between his eyes before turning to Synergy. "Where is Experiment Three?"

The screen changed again, this time displaying a holding pen and a small digital reading in flashing green characters. "Experiment Three is in Laboratory Three under emergency quarantine level 5."

"That is not good," Sesshoumaru concluded grimly.

"What?" Kagome angrily stomped her foot and followed him when he approached another console. "What's so bad about that one experiment?"

Sesshoumaru huffed in annoyance and stopped typing to glare at her, his aura radiating frustration at her lack of understanding. "Kagome, according to this, they used to test out those creatures on the most powerful youkai in the land. The God Weapons are capable of slaughtering an entire village in a matter of minutes. Cities burn and the most powerful armies are completely wiped from the face of the world. According to this, each God Weapon was more powerful than the one before it, and it's my belief that it is the cause of the lockdown."

"Woah," Kagome said once he returned to the console. "That's major. But why are you so concerned? It's not like it can get out or anything. It would have if it could, right?"

"You never question the power of these creatures," Sesshoumaru quipped. "Just as you never underestimate your opponent."

"You're being ridiculous," Kagome commented and turned to observe the creature the reports named the Gamma weapon. "It's locked up tight. Nothing's going to happen."

"Never say that."

She turned when Sesshoumaru rose from the console, her head curiously tipped to the side as he raised his palm once again.

"When we return, I want you to gather everything you deem necessary and load it onto the ship," he said as her vision began to blur.

"We may have to leave this place quickly and I want nothing to be left behind."

(End Chapter)

SF: Hey, I've got to tell you guys something!

Kagome: What?

SF: Come on, come on. Everybody gather 'round. This is good stuff. (Inu cast sits around her and waits) Guess what? After this chapter, there are only eight more chapters to go!

Inu cast: WHOO-HOOO!

SF: (watches as the Inu cast celebrate) OK, ok. That's enough. Oh, and not only that, but the next chapter is ART's last chapter.

Kagome/ Sango: Awwww...

Inu-chan/ Sesshou/ Miroku: Hey!

SF: Yeah, I know. It's sad but not to worry my pets. This won't be the last time he's mentioned. AS a matter of fact, I have a little something extra for our favorite simulation. The preview (plus the link to Kagome's wonderful outfits) is below!

Kagome: Things are changing so fast. I don't know what to consider Sesshoumaru now. Is he a friend, a comrade, or...more? Eh, there's no need to stress about it now. There's too much that needs to be done and a room that's practically calling my name. Just what _is_ inside that locked room on the seventh floor and why was Dr. Gippal hiding it? Sesshoumaru's almost finished with the Black Dragon, but he's been acting kinda scattered lately. I wonder if he's getting any rest...

Next chapter: Chapter Sixteen: Even a Taiyoukai

(Links)

Kagome's end costume: www (dot) rpgamer (dot) com (slash) games (slash) ff (slash) /ffx-2 (slash) art (slash) ffx-2035 (dot) jpg

Doctors (from the upper right) Baralai, Gippal and Nooj: www (dot) rpgamer (dot) com (slash) games (slash) ff (slash) ffx-2 (slash) art (slash) ffx-2035 (dot) jpg

(Reviews)

Fanfiction: 

inus-gurl93, Dana Daidouji, LilBlueFairy, xSilverShadowsx, Me, AngelWing1138, Anime-mistress585, tickledorteen, Yumiko-Emiko, Emily2553, Dragon Rae, Choyan, sakurakitsune14, Kaichai, Yume no Zencho, Okibi Usagi, Skitzoflame (lol. Totally!), the hitokiri battousai himura, KyouFan17, AnimeMoonlightGoddess, Duzzie, migele, sessywuver, George Bassy, Row, Wake-Robin, ChIbI rIn, & BlueMonkey89: Thanks for the reviews you guys. Another update's on the way!

Diana Artemis Silvermoon: Nope, no password necessary though I bet they're wishing for one at the moment. Oh well. They will be able to gain access to four more floors, which should land them on the 8th of 13 or so. Don't you worry about them getting out. Ttust me, when it's time they'll think of something. What was your other question? It's been so long and now I don't remember.

baka-onna2003: Here you go, one kiss as ordered! lol. The next chapter title has to do with something they find on one of the lower floors.

CrimsonDragoness: So you're an I/K fan huh? Well I used to be but lately all I've read are S/Ks. I even had a fave I/K but I can't remember the name if it. Oh well. I'm an insomniac too. That's normally when I get all of my typing done. Yup, the new airship is just like the Ragnarok, except it's a different color. The others are coming soon and I don't see why you can't have Squall...you might have to fight a couple of other girls for him first though. It's hard melding these worlds together, but it's fun too. I'm glad you guys are enjoying it so much.

LtSonya: Kagome's parents sent her away for a different reason. They don't have a clue about the miko/summoner thing. I'm going to try to put more fluff in here, but I don't want it to be corny fluff. I hate corny fluff. I want them to get as close as possible without them knowing it. As a matter of fact, I want everyone to know BUT them. lol. It's hard to do, but it's fun too. His youkai is going to have a reason to calm down soon, so he should be getting himself together.

Ruby27: Hey, there's been romance between them before this chapter! It's...well...it's just been kinda hard to see. Eheh. Um, anyway, I won't forget about the other stories. I really want to get the rest of this story out before I post a new chapter for the other stories and since it's only eight chapters it shouldn't take longer than two or so months. Wish me luck!

Shabopo: Don't worry, I plan on focusing on that once they get back to everyone else. They don't know anything about her being a miko/summoner or anything. Trust me, it's something important. Souta should be the one to tell it. Ah, so you remember Odin too huh? lol. Yeah, he'd have a ball but the summoning isn't the only reason why. Hmmmm...I never thought about that. How WOULD stree affect her powers? See, you come up with the best ideas. I'm going to have to think about that. Of course Kagome and Souten will get along! Look who they have in common! (grabs fiction version of Shippou) Isn't he cute enough for them to get along? Lol. There will be no corny names in this fic...hopefully. We'll just have to see.

Black Cello: Yup, the ship's the Black Dragon. It says so in this chapter. Sorry about that. For some reason the chapters are starting to have weird titles. I think it's time to just number them.

michelle: No my dear, you're quite right. There is something more to our favorite simulation. But you'll never guess what until it happens.

Native Wolf Cub: (blush) You flatter me. Thanks so much. Now I feel EXTRA bad about not updating. Shippou and the others have their hands full, both with the New Galbadian army and with trying to keep the peace between Kouga and Inuyasha. Kagome has feelings for him, but she's hiding behind her experience with Inuyasha and a real fear of being rejected. If Sesshoumaru truly wants to be with her like we all think he does then he's going to have to put in a little work

Dark Neko-chan: Oh no! Don't get your hopes up just yet. They're not going anywhere. There's still one more thing that they need to find first.

OOF: You are? Um...what can I tell you? lol. Smart girl. You should be.

Larka the White Wolf: You and I both. I only see red when I argue. Yup. I'm one of the good ole girls! lol. The reason why it's taken so long for me to update is that we moved from N. Carolina back to S. Carolina! So now I'm just a bit more country than I was! lol. Perhaps you should invest in one of those collars that stretch. Would keep you from choking, that's for sure. Oh, I love that one. I've got one too. Um...what it is again...oh yeah! It's 'Virginity is like bubble. One prick all gone.'

D: Nope, there wasn't a kiss in that chapter. There is a kiss in this one though! Thought I'd kick it in somewhere. Um...the next chapter to any of the other stories will come after the last chapter of this story. That doesn't mean I'm not working on the other stories. I'm just deligating my time a little better since this story only has eight more chapters to go.

Strawberrylover: Yup. You caught on to that huh? Apparently one of the other soldiers had a GF she wanted and well...there ya go. However, those soldiers weren't killed by either Diablos or Alexander. Deling and Wedge missed what happened exactly but don't worry. That'll come up too.

Kagome: Hey, that's not bad! I wish I could do that. So far I can count in Chinese and say hello in Spanish. Sucks. Hey, you've got those guys under control over there. That's what I'm talking about! Crack the whip! Muhahahahahaha!

aznchicki: I don't know what I'd do without Rinoa and her Wishing Moon. Totally indespensible. lol. Meltdown works only for so long with me, then everything goes down the drain.

schoolqueen: Yup, that's what it means...of course there have to be some repairs made first. I bet you don't think he's so funny now after that dojo incident. Trust me, it's not taking as long as it looks. Things are going to speed up soon. There are only eight chapters left so things are going to roll downhill. I'm sorry, but TBP and the other stories won't be updated until this story is finished.


	16. Even a Taiyoukai

Disclaimer: Yeah, I don't own it. I'm telling you, it depresses the hell out of me too. I don't know what to say.

Chapter Sixteen: Even a Taiyoukai

I

Kagome thoughtfully ambled about the third floor hallway, her eyes half closed as millions of thoughts twisted and turned about her mind. No matter how much she tried to forget that day, (especially the part with the skeletons and the blood) she couldn't help but think about the questions that presented themselves in the aftermath of the emergency lockdown being lifted.

What caused the lockdown?

What happened to all those people?

What was it about the God Weapons that made Sesshoumaru so nervous?

What **were** the God Weapons anyway?

And **_why _**did Sesshoumaru kiss her in the first place!

Kagome grunted in frustration, her hands fisted deep within the tips of her ponytail as that single question dominated above all others. 'Just why did he kiss me anyways!' she huffed as her leisure walk became a furious rampage toward the dojo. 'God forbid he actually stop and explain what happened, or why or...or...**_grrrrrrrrr_**! Forget it!'

She charged down the corridor in a fearsome march, her bottle green eyes narrowed angrily and her fists balled at her sides. Three weeks passed since the kiss and Sesshoumaru had yet to mention it, or anything else not pertaining to the Black Dragon and it's repairs. He actually dismissed her not too long ago, telling her that the last bit of repairs no longer required her assistance and that she would be of more use with ART in finishing what he could of her miko/summoner training. Since then Kagome had only seen glances of him, not enough to ask a brief question no less demand a suitable explanation.

'I don't even think I care anymore,' Kagome determined with an angry shove at her bangs. 'If he doesn't want to talk about it then neither do I. Besides, it was just a kiss. It doesn't mean anything. He's still a jerk and I'm still...well, I'm still sorta me. As me as I've ever been I suppose now that I know about this whole 'purity ki' and everything. I've almost got that under control too. I would tell him that but he's been so **busy** that I can't tell him anything. Oh well. Nuts to him anyway.'

"Besides, " Kagome said out loud as she passed her cabin door. "I've got far better things to do, like get inside Dr. Baralai's lab and hang out with ART. By the way, where is AR-"

"Kagome! Where are you Kagome!"

"ART!" Kagome called out as the simulation's panicky voice sounded over the P. A. System. "ART what is it? What's wrong!"

"What floor are you on?"

"I'm on the fourth, why?"

"Quickly report to the second floor," ART demanded as the elevator on the other side of the hallway opened. "I'm reading a drop in Lord Endo's vital signs."

Kagome turned and sprinted back down the hallway toward the elevator, all angry thoughts banished as she skidded into the elevator and jumped clear of the doors while they shuddered closed. "What kind of drop are we talking about here ART?" Kagome demanded as the elevator made its way to the proper floor.

"It's not a drastic drop," ART explained as the doors opened and Kagome ran out toward the hanger's bay entranceway. "It's more subtle, but it's not normal. His heart rate and breathing are slowing down."

'Slowing down...?' "Why?" Kagome asked. "And where is he?"

"I don't know why exactly. I can't see him, so I can't exactly give a proper diagnosis," ART gave as a weak explanation. "You'll find him on the Black Dragon's main engine room." Kagome ran up the Black Dragon's cargo bay ramp into the ship and through the doors to the cargo bay before opening the engine room door. Her jaw slacked in shock, her head lulled to the side slightly as she stared in confusion at the sight in front of her.

Sesshoumaru sat cross-legged on the cold metal tile in front of one of the engine panels, his eyes hidden by his bangs with the rest of his hair pulled back in a sloppy, tangled ball of silver. One hand rested rather easily on the floor while the other hung suspended in the air, a tiny set of pliers still in his claws as they hovered inches above the engine panel. His shoulders moved with each deep breath and he seemed to be falling toward the floor on his left side. He righted himself quickly enough but it was jerky, as if someone had slapped him with a bucket of ice water, and soon he was right back to falling over once again.

Kagome watched this in awe, the shock of finding him this way swiftly wearing away to concern as she cautiously approached him. "Sesshoumaru," she softly called out as he caught himself again. "Sesshoumaru, are you ok?" He sniffed then looked up at her, eyes that normally were sharp and cool were now fogged and weary. They shimmered with an odd sort of fondness when he noticed her and he unsteadily rose to his feet.

"What's wrong with him?" Kagome heard ART say from the tiny node attached to her temple. "Is he alright?"

"Yeah, he's ok," Kagome said after a moment's thought. She huffed in slight agitation before approaching Sesshoumaru, noticing how sloppily his clothes hung from his muscular frame and the tangle in which his shoelaces were knotted. She shook her head in disapproval, then reached out to catch him when he began to topple over. "I know what you did," Kagome whispered as she struggled to stand him back up. "And I warned you, didn't I?"

To her surprise, a rather pitiful whine was her answer as he attempted to straighten himself on his own. He looked genuinely sorry for something, his eyes almost drooping in guilt and repentance before Kagome began to laugh. "Don't look like that," she said in a gentler tone. "I'm not mad. But I did tell you this would happen. Can you even talk right now?" Sesshoumaru shook his head and Kagome laughed again before slowly leading him out of the room.

"No, let's leave that there," she suggested when he leaned over to pick up his tools. "You'll want to get back here soon so there's no need."

Kagome struggled to lead him out of the ship, her insistent tugs and pulls almost insufficient in 'encouraging' the tai to leave the ship and follow her. "Hey ART," she called out when they finally boarded the elevator. "I'm gonna need your help once we get back to the cabin floor. Oh, and have you started your analysis yet?"

"I have, though I don't believe you'll be surprised by the results." ART's smiling face greeted her when the elevator doors opened, his arm already winding itself around Sesshoumaru's side to assist him. Silver threads sparkled from the black fabric of his uniform, which did nothing but confirm Kagome's suspicions.

"When was the last time he had some sleep?" Kagome asked as they made their way down the hallway to Sesshoumaru's cabin.

"It's been a while. His last documented rest was five weeks ago."

"I thought so," Kagome crowed angrily, then apologized at another uncharacteristic whimper from Sesshoumaru. "I'm not mad. But I told you to get some sleep. Oh well. What's done is done now, right?"

"Rightly said Kagome," ART agreed before opening Sesshoumaru's door. "However, I believe I'll be staying here."

"What?" Kagome cried and stumbled when ART dropped the weight he was supporting. "Hey! You can't do that! Come on ART, help me out!"

"I don't believe he'd let me," ART answered honestly while Kagome continued to drag Sesshoumaru into the room. She sighed in relief when they finally reached his bed and shoved him onto it, watching with more than a small bit of satisfaction when the much larger youkai sank down into the numerous pillows, blankets and bedding underneath him without a fight.

"I suppose I should help you change too," Kagome grumbled good-naturedly as she tugged apart the knots in his shoelaces. She glared at ART again when he refused to help then sighed, shot ART the bird, ignored him when he burst out laughing, and crossed the room toward a clothes closet nearby. She fished around until she found what she was looking for, a pair of black silk pyjamas with tiny tortoise shell buttons, and prepared herself.

"OK Sesshoumaru, I need for you to pay attention now," she said as she grasped his wrists and pulled him to a sitting position. He still looked rather clueless but appeared eager to help as she jerked his arms out of the sleeves of his shirt. "Hold your arms out please."

He obeyed easily, his eyes at half mast and his head lowered while Kagome slipped his arms into the pyjama top's sleeves. She fastened the buttons dutifully, not once blinking an eye at the oddity of it all while ART snickered and looked on.

"You know," Kagome began as she closed the last button. "He's not going to like you laughing at him."

"He doesn't know I'm laughing at him," ART chuckled and answered Kagome's questioning glare. "Haven't you been around a youkai that's gone beyond his limits of sleep depravation?"

"Yeah, but only two and they never behaved like this."

"There are many reasons for that," ART replied while making himself comfortable against the doorframe. "Your youkai friends may have only gone one week over, or one may not have been all youkai. Different species of youkai have certain limits too. The thing with inu youkai, especially ones of the royal breed like Lord Sesshoumaru here, is that they can go weeks over their limits but it causes ...problems with their behavior."

"What kind of problems?" Kagome wondered as she grasped Sesshoumaru's belt and squeezed her eyes shut. She frowned as she struggled to unbuckle the wide leather strap, then jerked it free when it finally came loose and set to work on the series of buttons along the fly of his shorts.

"Well, nothing drastic," ART commented and covered his mouth when Kagome began to mutter curses under her breath. "Just slight shifts. But if they've been without sleep long enough, they actually switch places with-"

"Oh forget it!" Kagome huffed and threw up her hands. "ART, **_please_** come help me!" she whined desperately. "If you don't I'll never get this done and I'll die of embarrassment, I just know it!"

"Oh, alright fine," ART relented. Sesshoumaru's head quickly swivelled toward ART before the sim could step foot into the room, an abrupt and hair-raising growl erupting from his throat as his lips pulled back in a vicious snarl.

"What was that!" Kagome demanded from her new spot behind the lounge chair on the other side of the room. "What did you do this time ART!"

"I didn't do anything," ART called out above the barks and warning growls. "I told you that they sometimes switch places with their more primal part. Sesshoumaru is and isn't Sesshoumaru at the moment. Could you calm him down please?"

"What do you want me to do?" Kagome yelled back. "Say 'stop that and be quiet boy!'?" They both were shocked when Sesshoumaru complied, his barks gone with an audible click though the growls continued from behind clenched fangs. "Weird," Kagome said before cautiously vacating her hiding place. "Sesshoumaru?"

He turned toward her, his eyes still weary and distant but now an alarming shade of crimson and jade. She gasped and stepped back then yelped when his tail wrapped around her waist and jerked her toward him. "Hey, what the-what's going on ART!" she cried out in fear. "Help me would you?"

"Calm down Kagome," ART said once the taiyoukai finally had her in reach. "Lord Sesshoumaru's not going to hurt you. See?"

Kagome opened her eyes and relaxed, though her current situation didn't help her confusion as Sesshoumaru's arms surrounded her in a gentle hug. He sniffed at her hair and neck and woofed softly, his ears twitching slightly at the tiny giggles coming from his 'victim'. "You still haven't told me what's going on?" Kagome commented while Sesshoumaru sat back on the edge of the bed. His grip on her remained but he stopped his assault on her neck to pursue her stomach. Kagome's giggles becoming full on laughter as he attempted to nudge his way past her pullover to her tummy. "What's he doing anyway?"

"It seems that his inner youkai is more...affectionate," ART said and chuckled when Kagome persistently slapped Sesshoumaru's wandering hands away. "The Sesshoumaru we're used to has been pushed aside for his more primitive side. All youkai have them and it's what keeps them alive in times when they can't go to sleep due to war or hunts."

"But why is he acting like this toward **me**?" Kagome wondered before moving Sesshoumaru's nose back above her waistline. "Oh no you don't buddy," Kagome scolded sternly. "I don't care how out of it you are, you're _not_ going down there. You behave yourself."

"He knows you," ART explained. "Lord Sesshoumaru must have tuned himself to you so he knows who you are, no matter if he's in this state or not. Or maybe his inner youkai has a crush on you."

"Yeah right," Kagome laughed and shook her head. "I doubt that last one ART."

"Kagome?"

"Yes ART?"

"When are you going to finish dressing him?"

"Huh?" Kagome looked down and blushed horribly, completely embarrassed at her forgetfulness and Sesshoumaru's lack of decorum as he sat there with his shorts (Not undershorts mind you. There's only so much a girl can take) in a crumpled heap around his ankles. She could only imagine the picture the two of them made and her blush rushed to the roots of her hair while ART continued to laugh. "Hey, don't laugh! It's not my fault I forgot! You're the one that pissed him off in the first place!"

"That may be true, but he's not wrapped around **my** waist," ART quipped and chuckled harder at her expense.

"Whatever," Kagome grumbled as her face finally began to cool. "Shut up ART. You're not helping. You're not either mister," Kagome directed toward Sesshoumaru. He glanced up with crimson puppy eyes, the expression so adorable that Kagome quickly forgot to be angry and gave him a quick scratch behind his ears. "OK, enough goofing around," she said when he leaned into the gesture. "Come on, let's get you changed so you can go to sleep. That way you can wake up normal and what's left of this day will be normal...hopefully."

She tossed Sesshoumaru's shorts at ART, who quickly ducked to avoid them while Kagome helped Sesshoumaru into his pyjama pants. All that was left to do was tie the waist string, which Kagome did as quickly as she could before rising to her feet and dusting off her hands. "There," she sighed triumphantly. "That's done. Now lie down Sesshoumaru and get some sleep."

Sesshoumaru yawned and tugged at his ear, then sniffed again before climbing onto the huge black and silver bed and stretching out in the middle of the futon. Kagome shook her head in amusement and was beginning to leave when his tail quickly brought her onto the bed and to his side. "Oh no," Kagome said as the furry appendage began to wind it's way around her legs. "I'm not doing this. Let me up Sesshoumaru."

Kagome struggled while his tail pulled her closer to its owner until she was fully within Sesshoumaru's reach. He moved her arms away from her, using his tail to keep them in place, then flopped over on his stomach, rested his head on her shoulder and nuzzled his nose deep inside the hair at the nape of her neck before finally dozing off. "Hey, uh-uh," Kagome said to herself as she struggled to shove Sesshoumaru aside. "I'm serious. Sesshoumaru get off or I swear I'll purify your package off. Are you listening to me?"

"He's asleep Kagome," ART said and for once he wasn't laughing. He walked into the room quietly, careful not to alert the sleeping tai to his unwanted entrance as he looked down on the pair with an amused and fond smile. "I don't think he'll let go for quite some time now."

"Oh, he's letting go," Kagome growled angrily. Her struggles began anew, this time with a few punches to Sesshoumaru's arm and thigh when he pulled her closer to his side and his leg draped across both of hers to pin them down. "I swear! Get UP!" Kagome gave him one last shove, pushing everything she had into moving the heavier being until finally she gave up. She panted heavily from her efforts, her eyes closing briefly as she struggled to catch her breath. His tail unwound itself from her arms and pooled at the back of her head instead, lifting her slightly so that she rested almost completely on it's furry softness.

"I believe he intends for you to be comfortable during your stay."

"Shut up ART," Kagome snapped tiredly. "I'm stuck here, aren't I?"

"Pretty much," ART replied as he lowered the temperature to a cooler, more comfortable level. "I would suggest you get some sleep too Kagome. You can't do much of anything else anyway."

"Yeah, I guess you're right," Kagome said before a yawn nearly split her face in two. She gave ART a quick good night before closing her eyes and finally relaxing. Her breathing evened out almost instantly and she was asleep in a matter of minutes.

"How cute," ART whispered as the two snuggled closer to one another. "They'll make such a lovely couple, I just know it." The tip of Sesshoumaru's tail traveled a little too far south for Kagome's liking and she whacked the wayward creature without opening an eye. ART chuckled and shook his head before leaving the room, making sure to dim the lights and shut the door behind him.

)-(

ART watched from a small surveillance camera in the far corner of the room, the tiny mechanical eye swiveling from side to side before settling back on the enormous futon and the occupants in the middle of its many pillows and other comforts. Black and white swirled around them, with Sesshoumaru's prone form rested firmly around his companion's smaller frame. The sparse, almost nonexistent light shifted against the silk of his pyjamas when his arm moved. He pulled Kagome closer to him in his slumber, his nose returning to her neck and hair while his tail formed a makeshift blanket around them.

Kagome faced the rest of the room away from him with her hand curled underneath her chin. The white cotton of her clothes contrasted with the bedding and her small feet were neatly tucked beneath the ample fur of Sesshoumaru's tail. All in all both seemed to be rather content, though how long that would last once they were awake was a question ART had no answer too. It seemed as if an answer would answer itself soon once his monitors picked up a slight increase in heart rate.

Clear golden eyes opened with a snap, almost as if sleep never claimed their owner. Clawed fingertips passed absently through the mass of obsidian held in it's palm while Sesshoumaru allowed his senses to awaken to their full potential. He was slightly confused and wondered to himself how he managed to get to his room. His last coherent memory was of the engine room of the Black Dragon and the small nut he was trying to tighten. He could only imagine the trouble his inner youkai managed to create while it was in control and he had a feeling that it would have much to do with the female in his present company.

'_Oh, cease being such a drama queen,'_ his inner youkai scolded from the recesses of his mind. _'You behave as if I'm some sort of lecher. Nothing's happened that you wouldn't have wanted to happen.'_

'And that is exactly my point,' Sesshoumaru retorted as he rubbed the sleep from his eyes and glancing to his side. 'And would you care to explain her?'

'_Oh, her. Well, that's nothing. She helped us get back here, that's all. That simulation tried to get in here too, but I got rid of him.'_

'No harm done then,' Sesshoumaru determined with a impish smirk.

'_That's exactly what I thought. It would seem that neither of us trust the program.'_

Sesshoumaru agreed, then relaxed his tail's grip before asking an obvious question: 'Who changed my clothes?' he inquired curiously as he gingerly tapped one of the buttons on his pyjama shirt. His inner youkai sputtered nervously and Sesshoumaru could feel a hint of embarrassment coming from his other half.

'_Well, you see...we couldn't exactly dress ourselves. You should have seen our hair-'_

'You are not answering the question,' Sesshoumaru interrupted with a slight growl. 'Who. Changed. Our. Clothes?'

'_...She did...'_

'You have got to be kidding me,' Sesshoumaru retorted and flopped back on the bed with an exasperated sigh. 'Were we that incapacitated?'

'_Unfortunately, but she was quite the sport about it,' _his inner youkai replied jovially. '_You should have seen her face when she changed our pants. The resulting blush was quite fetching.'_

'Yes, I'm sure it was,' Sesshoumaru wryly quipped before rolling onto his side. Kagome continued to sleep, her arms now wrapped around her middle while she slept curled in a slight ball. She sighed and turned over, bringing the two of them face to face while she slept on.

'_She scolded us you know,' _Sesshoumaru's inner youkai laughed. _'Or better yet, she scolded you. Told you that you should know better than to spend so much time without sleep. I tried telling you this exact same thing but no...you refused to listen, your highness.' _ His inner youkai laughed again, much to his chagrin, then fell silent when Sesshoumaru twisted mingled locks of silver and black around his index finger.

"When will this fascination with you end?" he whispered to himself while he hovered over Kagome's prone form. She sniffed slightly, her nose twitching as if she wanted to sneeze before her face settled into it's previous calm. "That's all this is, just a fascination," he continued before releasing their hair from his finger. "You intrigue me, simply because you confuse me. You cause nothing but trouble, yet you have your usefulness. Why do I want to know so much about you?"

'_Maybe its because of her behavior towards us?'_ his inner youkai offered helpfully. _'She treats us like a comrade, a friend, and not like a walking bank note.'_

'Yes, there is that,' Sesshoumaru agreed. 'But maybe that's because she is ignorant of my status in the world. Still...she does not behave the way she should.'

'_You mean the way you're used to,' _his inner self interjected. _'You're used to females throwing themselves at you, but this one doesn't seem interested.'_

'Oh, she is interested,' Sesshoumaru snorted self-righteously. 'I sense it echoing from her thoughts. It's laced in her scent.'

'_Then maybe the reason we're so interested in her is because of your snubbed pride.. Then again, it may just be the fact that I find her enchanting, interesting and-'_

'I do not wish to hear the song of her praises,' Sesshoumaru retorted irritably. 'She is simply a human, nothing more. She bleeds, she wants and she cries just like the rest of them.'

'_She cries...she cried last night...'_

'Really?' Sesshoumaru studied her face and indeed found tiny traces of tears along her cheeks. 'Why so?'

'_She spoke of it in her sleep. She confessed it all to whoever would hear.'_

'Then what was it?' Sesshoumaru inquired, his patience running thin at the suspense. 'Surely you'll tell me, since you know.'

'_Surely not,'_ his youkai retorted. _'I'll not tell you.'_

'And why not?'

'_It's not your place to know. When the time comes I'll tell you. Until then...'_ His inner youkai faded before he could ask another question, leaving Sesshoumaru alone with his companion and his unanswered questions. He growled slightly at his inner youkai, but quickly settled for moving his attentions to Kagome. He could see feint lines along her cheeks and could still smell the salt from her tears.

'But why?' he wondered as he brushed a curly lock of hair away from Kagome's forehead. 'What could cause you so much distress?' He remembered vaguely conversations with his brother about the little SeeD. From what he remembered of them, Inuyasha spoke of their mutual friends and her brother, but he barely mentioned anything else about Kagome's family or inner circle.

Kagome sighed again and wrinkled her nose, then batted something away from her and grasped Sesshoumaru's tail like a teddy bear. He watched as she snuggled it against her cheek and returned the blissful smile that graced her lips.

'_Admit it Sesshoumaru,' _his inner youkai whispered softly. _'There's something about her, something special, something...different.'_

Sesshoumaru rolled onto his back and ignored his inner self, his mind suddenly tuned in to other thoughts before he reached over and pulled Kagome onto his chest. He managed to rest her head onto his chest without waking her, then reached up and placed one of the many pillows surrounding them underneath his head. He decided to wait until Kagome woke up to move, so he sat and ran mental schematics of the airship in his head while his fingers absently combed through Kagome's hair.

Kagome woke up slowly, her mind in a hazy fog as she opened bleary eyes to the waking world. She gazed at the dark bedding underneath her and waited for her memory to return. The white fuzz in her hands twitched slightly and Kagome gently petted it before glancing further around. She felt warm and drowsy still so she made no attempts to move. She yawned and stretched, her toes pointed inside her boots and her back bowing slightly. She ran her hands through the fur again, then grasped at the black silk underneath her. She frowned when it refused to budge and looked up, her eyes rounding in surprise before her memory finally caught up with her.

'Oh yeah,' Kagome said to herself with a mental smack to her forehead. 'I did fall asleep in here didn't I? I wonder how he's doing.' She propped herself up on his chest and gazed into his face, her head tilted curiously at his closed eyes. She glanced up when his fingers split through her bang and smiled at them, then at him when Sesshoumaru opened his eyes.

"Good morning sleepyhead," Kagome teased brightly. "How was your sleep?"

"It is one in the afternoon, and my sleep was...sufficient."

"Well, you're grumpy as always," Kagome said as she attempted to sit up. She frowned when the hand splayed across the small of her back held her down and pushed at his shoulder. "Can I get up now?"

"No."

"And why not?"

"Because," Sesshoumaru said before tugging her further up his chest. "I am thinking."

"Wouldn't it be easier to think if I weren't here?" Kagome asked.

"No."

"Fine," Kagome huffed in agitation while Sesshoumaru closed his eyes. "What am I supposed to do while you're 'thinking'?"

"Be quiet hopefully," Sesshoumaru responded drily. "That does help the thinking process along."

"Whatever," Kagome grumbled, then sighed and rested her head on his chest. Sesshoumaru briefly opened an eye to watch her and was surprised when she closed her eyes and relaxed. He continued to thread his fingers through her hair, allowing his inner youkai to enjoy the experience for as long as she allowed it when Kagome sat up again.

"Sesshoumaru?"

"Hmm?"

"Why are you playing in my hair?"

"This Sesshoumaru does not 'play'," Sesshoumaru responded indignantly, which earned him a roll of her eyes in response. "However, I find the structure of your hair almost...fascinating."

"Gee," Kagome quipped before flipping a stray lock over her shoulder. "Almost fascinating? I'm so honored."

"As well you should be."

"Jerk," Kagome replied with a playful blow to his shoulder. She laughed when he opened his eyes, his brows narrowed in confusion and minor astonishment at her brazenness.

"Now what was that for?" he asked as Kagome laughed above him.

"You're so funny," Kagome giggled. "Who'd have thought you were so much fun?"

"Yes, who would have thought," Sesshoumaru griped as he rubbed his shoulder. "That hurt you know."

"Yeah right," Kagome brushed aside. "Like that hurt you, the all powerful Lord Inu-"

"That was my great-grandfather."

"Oh all right," Kagome gave in. "I'm sorry. There. You happy now?"

"Absolutely."

"Forgive me?" Kagome asked, this time with her infamous puppy dog look., her bottle green eyes wide, innocent and sad. Sesshoumaru looked away quickly, the faint blush on his cheeks hidden by his markings, and moved his hands to his sides. "Oh come on Sesshoumaru," Kagome laughed before grasping the sides of his face and gently tugging him back to her. "Forgive me or not?"

"I suppose," he hurriedly replied. He grasped her hands to pry them free and froze, his fingers entwined with hers and golden clashed with aquamarine. He felt lost almost instantly, his attention solely focused on the lipid pools of blue green that he always considered odd ...in an enchanting sort of way. Her soul opened to him revealing layers of multicolored layers of her inner person, the thoughts, emotions and concerns that were held deep within his little gunner.

"Sesshoumaru?"

"Hmm...yes?" Sesshoumaru responded after mentally shaking his head clear. "What is it?"

"Are you alright? Do you need more sleep?"

"No," Sesshoumaru snook his head. "I don't require any more sleep."

"Oh, ok then. Um, can I ask you something?"

"I don't see why not." Sesshoumaru sat up and dusted himself off while Kagome situated herself beside him, making sure to keep some sort of eye contact with him as she mustered up the courage to ask her question.

"Kagome," Sesshoumaru called after a few minutes of silence. "Are you still there?"

"Oh, yeah," Kagome giggled weakly. "Um, promise you won't get mad?"

"Kagome," Sesshoumaru began with a level gaze. "What is it?"

"Um, well, I was wondering-" She lowered her gaze to her lap and began to pick at her nails. "Why did you kiss me?" She looked up again when Sesshoumaru didn't say anything, his silence unnerving and a little more than suspicious.

"Sesshoumaru," Kagome said again. "Didn't you hear me?"

"Yes, I did," he finally answered her.

"Are you going to answer me?" She sighed when silence met her again, then stood up and stretched. "Oh well then," she chirped in masked disappointment. "I guess I'll be going. I've got training to do. Call me if you need anything." She was gone before Sesshoumaru could think to stop her, her scent slowly fading from the room to continue beyond the steel entrance door.

'Well,' Sesshoumaru said to himself as he stood up. 'That could have gone better.' He began to pick up his discarded clothing , his thoughts now centered on Kagome as ART stepped out of a nearby wall.

"Are you better now my lord?" he asked once Sesshoumaru turned to him. "Kagome was worried about you."

"Her concern was unnecessary," Sesshoumaru stated as ART held out his arms. Sesshoumaru dumped his clothes on them and walked toward the clothes closet. "I am fine."

"She wasn't happy with you," ART laughed softly. "She gave you quite the scolding you know."

"Yes, I heard." Sesshoumaru frowned thoughtfully, his gaze some other place entirely while his eyes scanned his wardrobe.

"Why didn't you answer her?"

"Excuse me?" Sesshoumaru asked as he turned around. "Would you care to repeat that ART?"

"Why didn't you answer Kagome?" ART asked again. "I think she really wanted to know the answer."

"It's not your place to question me," Sesshoumaru growled in reply. He snatched an outfit from the wardrobe and quit the room without another word.

'_Why are you so angry?' _his subconscious wondered. _'They just asked a question. What is so bad about that?'_

'Nothing,' Sesshoumaru replied as he continued down the hallway toward the dojo. 'Except...I don't have an answer.'

II

They watched each other without a word, the only sound in the room their heavy breaths as they waited. The fabric of his white pants rustled with each slight movement, his bare feet silent against the padded floor. His hair was pulled back in a low ponytail, the sleek strands streaming down his back like a silvery flow of captured water. He studied his opponent, watching and waiting for subtle signs as she circled around him. He shifted his left foot behind him, crouched low and waited.

She walked slowly, her feet equally silent as she trained her eyes to his chiseled form. The muscles along his lower back twitched slightly and she tensed, her breath caught in her throat and her eyes wide.

"What's the matter little gunner?" he purred as he glanced over his shoulder at her. "Afraid I might 'bite'?"

"Hell no," she growled testily. "But you never know when I will." She frowned when he laughed, the sound a little too merry for her liking. She huffed and turned her back on him, the back of her short pleated skirt snapping angrily as she rested Junsei on her shoulders. "I've got teeth too, remember?" She stepped to the right a few seconds later and winked at the surprise on Sesshoumaru's face when he breezed past her. Shikyo's onyx blade passed inches from her left side.

"That's cheating Sesshoumaru," she teased before using Junsei to block Sesshoumaru's next strike. "And that's not very nice."

"You should know by now not to turn your back on your opponent," he advised before striking again. Sparks flew from the blades of their weapons. The grating of the blades themselves was abusive to Sesshoumaru's ears but he still couldn't help enjoying himself.

"Less talking," ART said from his place on a nearby platform jutting from the padded walls. "More fighting."

They sprang apart then sprinted toward opposite sides of the room with Sesshoumaru disappearing from sight. 'Ok,' Kagome said before closing her eyes. 'Trying to see him is useless. Let's see if I can find him some other way.' She stilled herself and waited, her senses alert and her ki spreading toward the surrounding walls. She found Sesshoumaru almost instantly and quickly ducked. She opened her eyes just in time to watch Shikyo's dark blade wiz over her head.

"Hey you jerk," she said as she dodged another blow. "You almost cut my hair!" She slashed up and to her right, the tip of her blade barely scraping the right leg of Sesshoumaru's pants before returning to parallel against her right side.

"Not bad," Sesshoumaru commented. "Though it is the first blow you've attempted all session."

"Oh shut up," Kagome grumbled. "I would have done more, but you like to slash at people. I'm trying to save my hair." She moved forward as if to strike but quickly crouched down and kicked the back of Sesshoumaru's left knee. She kicked his feet from underneath him, a triumphant smile lit on her lips when his gunblade went flying, and squeaked in surprise when his tail wrapped around her, picked her up and shook her gunblade from her grasp.

"Awwww..." Kagome grumbled as Sesshoumaru stood back up, brushed himself off and inspected the slash in his pantleg. "You CHEATED!"

"How so?" Sesshoumaru asked with a thoughtful 'hm'. "After all, you are the one that resorted to using your powers."

"Only after** YOU** disappeared on me! I'm only human Sesshoumaru! I can't keep up with you when you do that!"

"That may be, but we agreed not to use any spells or innate abilities of any kind. That included the little locating technique you just performed."

"But-but-grrrrrrrr!" She frowned angrily, her arms swiftly crossing across her breast while Sesshoumaru chuckled at her expense.

"You are swift to anger little gunner. You should calm down."

"You know what?" Kagome spat as he sat her down and patted her head. "I think you egg me on!"

"I would do no such thing," Sesshoumaru assured her before walking toward a nearby wall. He pulled Shikyou out with a swift jerk then tossed Junsei back to it's owner. "That is enough for today, I suppose," he decided with a sigh before grasping his gunblade. He sheathed it quickly and strolled toward the opposite end of the dojo. "I believe a shower is in order."

"Hey, I know you're not quitting on me!" Kagome shouted indignation at his back. "Come back!"

"Continue practicing little gunner," Sesshoumaru called over his shoulder as he passed Shikyo to ART. "And ART, make sure she continues for least thirty minutes."

"Of course," ART answered with a respectful bow. "I'll bring you a change of clothes after you wash up."

"Good. Behave yourself woman," Sesshoumaru warned before disappearing inside the men's locker room. Kagome growled in frustration and threw up her hands.

"Why do I even bother," Sesshoumaru heard her say as he moved toward the showers in the back of the locker room. He turned on the nearest shower and approached the dispensers. He showered slowly, allowing the tenseness in his back to relax. During training he appeared cool and collected but behind his facade he was struggling to predict Kagome's moves. Her training was beginning to pay off and it was only due to pride that kept him from breaking down and panting in fatigue.

'Who would have imagined that a mere human could improve in so short a time,' Sesshoumaru mused as he attempted to shake his hair free from his back. The silver strands were soaked through, giving them a dark gray cast, and clinging to the wet skin on his neck, back and upper chest. He pulled it free absentmindedly, gathered it all in one hand and flipped it over his shoulder before raking his claws through it.

'For one woman to be so gifted with a sword is uncanny. Imagine her strength if she were born youkai, and a male. She would be nearly unstoppable.' He frowned at the thought, realizing that she was nearly as such now. He couldn't help but feel a little proud of her progress. After all, the idea of her training was his idea. Still, he wondered about the consequences of such strength. Summoners and miko were thought to be extinct in the modern world, yet here she was, and all this time she hadn't a clue as to what she could do. It did account for what happened in Trabia Snowfield some months prior but it still didn't explain why she couldn't remember what happened or how those men met such an end. He imagined that the incident still haunted her and that maybe that's what she dreamt about.

'It doesn't matter now,' Sesshoumaru thought as he turned the shower's glass knob to shut it off. He watched as the water trickled to a slow stop, golden eyes following as each crystalline droplet fell to the cold blue tile and shattered into thousands upon thousands of wet shards. 'What's done is done. The results of this can be nothing but a help. There is no other course.'

Sesshoumaru dried off and changed into a pair of undershorts, grimacing slightly at the grandpa blue color, then dried his hair before going for his clothes. He grasped the door knob and let go instantly, his hand pulling back not only because of the shock but because of the ominous purple-yellow light bursting from the cool metal. He tried again and again he was repelled before he backed away and frowned.

'It would seem,' he said to himself as he frowned in mild aggravation. 'That I've been locked in.'

)-(

"Just who does he think he is," Kagome grumbled to herself as she angrily jerked Junsei from it's embedded place in the wall. "He cheated and he know it! Grrr...I swear, one of these days-"

"Kagome."

Kagome turned and smiled as ART approached her, her outrage at her former sparring partner evaporating like morning mist at the sight of her friend. "Hey ART. What do you think? Was he cheating or what?"

ART laughed and shook his head. "You, Kagome, will never change," he replied once his mirth ended. "You make me laugh."

"You make me laugh too ART," Kagome said after giving him a brief hug. "I wish you could come with us when we leave."

"The outside world was never meant for one like me," ART sighed sadly. "But I hope you'll never forget me."

Kagome smiled and shook her head. "Never. I'd never forget you ART."

"And I you, Kagome. And I you." He grasped her upper arm and, without warning, jerked Junsei out of her hands. He tossed it far across the room, waiting until the silver-blue was firmly re-embedded into the dojo wall before turning back to Kagome's bewildered face.

"Wha-what was that for!" she demanded as she struggled to twist her arm free. His grip never budged despite her efforts and he watched with what looked to be mild disappointment.

"I did things wrong last time," ART began to explain. He quickly caught Kagome's rising fist mere inches from his nose, his steel grip tightening around the young SeeDs fist until she cried out in pain. "I should have shut the tai away first. Of all of my calculations, none of them gave me any reason to believe that he would interrupt us. You can just imagine my surprise when he came in and destroyed my clones. Ah," he sighed wistfully. "The youki that flows in his veins must be powerful indeed."

"ART, what are you trying to do here?" Kagome shouted once she finally jerked her fist free. "Sesshoumaru's going to be out here any minute an-"

"And?" ART shot back before glancing toward the men's room door. "I doubt that he'll be out any time soon. I think he's preoccupied at the moment. You shouldn't worry about him though." He backhanded her swiftly and snatched her head toward him with her ponytail. Kagome cried out again, this time in frustration as well as pain as a large purple bruise began to darken on her cheek.

"I know what I'm doing now." ART's smile became menacing, the warm and friendly greeting now laced with steel, razor and malice. "With him locked away, you'll have to depend on your own strength to stop me." He shoved her away angrily, almost as if the thought of touching her disgusted him, and waited until she began to stand before he began his slow advance.

"But ART," Kagome cried before skirting his raised fist. "I thought you said you wouldn't do this anymore!"

"No, I said I won't try to gang up on you anymore. That obviously didn't work. After all, you **did** fly right over our heads and we outnumbered you. You are too clever for that technique. Now we play a different game." He darted toward her, his lavender eyes glazed in a light pink frost. Kagome jumped back like a startled cat and frantically whirled around him. She attempted to grasp Junsei's handle but was quickly knocked away with a well executed kick to her ribs. She winced, groaned in agony and dropped to one knee in front of the simulation, one hand tightly grasping her side while she raised her other hand in defense.

"Now Kagome," ART purred as her painful wheezes filled the dojo. "What exactly are you doing down there? You're not asking for mercy are you? What would your precious taiyoukai say?"

"If it's one thing I've learned from Sesshoumaru," Kagome huffed, her hand still between them as her eyes narrowed slightly. "Is that mercy is for the helpless. Now surprises on the other hand-"

The rims of her irises flashed green and she smirked when ART stepped back.

"That's something that should be given freely."

(-)

"Is there not another way out of-"

Sesshoumaru grunted and jumped backward when a bright flash of orange light blasted from underneath the tiny space at the base of the doorframe. He landed gracefully, still damp hair fluttering about him as he settled into a low crouch and glared at the door. 'What on Spira-was that not a Flare spell?' Sesshoumaru returned to the door and cautiously peered underneath it. Once again he was greeted with nothing more than the white padding of the dojo floor, though slight tendrils of smoke curled into the locker room.

'What is going on? What are they doing?'

'_Don't be daft,' _his inner beast rumbled furiously. _'You know what they're doing. That program has disobeyed us **again**.'_

'Not possible,' Sesshoumaru determined as he once again tried to knock down the door. He used his fingertips to spread his poison along the door's hinges, then stepped back and waited while the corrosive agent did its work. The brass hardware melted with a hiss and the smell of burning metal before oozing down the steel door in brownish-greenish-gray glops. Sesshoumaru smirked in triumph as the ooze finally settled onto the locker room's cool tile. He pushed the door, then frowned and pushed again.

'There is a seal here,' he said to himself as he studied the youki imprint on the door with his mind's eye. 'Now why would that be here?'

'_You're being daft again,'_ Sesshoumaru's beast warned him as Sesshoumaru attempted to get through the door through other means. _'This is the work of that ART creature! He must be punished!'_

'Yes, I know,' Sesshoumaru growled irritably. 'We will get through this door eventually. Why so impatient, other than your usual reasons?'

'_Do you remember the last training session the little human had with that program?'_

Sesshoumaru frowned thoughtfully, then growled as remembrance brought full understanding. Sesshoumaru's growl intensified as a pained shout pierced through the door.

'_We must hurry,'_ his beast insisted as Sesshoumaru increased his efforts toward the seal. _'The program cares not for her safety and there is no telling how long she will last.'_

(-)

ART watched as she slid down the wall, the third time in as many attempts to defeat him. He shook his head in disappointment, his claws retracting slightly as she struggled to remain conscious and stand. "Look at you Kagome," he cooed softly as she grasped the wall for balance. "You're still as weak as you were when you first arrived. Has training with me taught you anything?"

"Yeah," Kagome panted heavily. "That computers can be double-crossers too."

"Now don't think like that," ART frowned in disapproval. "I'm merely trying to help you."

"Funny. This doesn't feel like helping."

"You think that now," ART began while Kagome wiped at a cut weeping above her eyebrow. "But I hoped that someday you would appreciate this." He sighed when she attacked again, noting how she had long since stopped giving her tale-tell yell before doing so. He swept away her right fist inches from his face, then leapt over her foot as she attempted to kick his legs from underneath him. He landed behind her soundlessly, then grasped the base of her ponytail and slammed her face first into the floor mat.

"You're so pathetic," he whispered softly into her ear. "Are you always going to need someone to come and rescue you? Why can't you ever save yourself?"

"I...can..." Kagome declared between snatches of air.

"It doesn't look like it. From here, it looks like you're afraid." He picked her up and tossed her across the room, watching with pained eyes as she collided into the padded wall. She cried out when the back of her head smacked the wall. Kagome was slowly losing the fight to stay conscious as she slid down the wall to the floor, her body pained and spirit weary.

"I'm going to do you a favor," ART replied after a few minutes of silence. "I'm going to end this now. I don't know what I was thinking. What made me think you were stronger than this? I couldn't be more disappointed."

"Why?" Kagome wheezed out from her place on the floor. She remained face down and spread eagle, her shirt and skirt ripped to rags and her hair tie long since snatched from her head. "Why ART?"

"Why isn't important," ART replied sympathetically. "What is is what to do with you now." He sighed heavily and looked away from her, the sight of her bruised body seemingly too much for him as lavender eyes remained downcast. "I suppose I have to do what I must."

"And what (cough) is that?" Kagome demanded weakly. "What are you going to do with me?"

"Not just you my dear," ART replied as resolve and determination darkened his jovial features. "The both of you. Neither of you will be allowed to leave."

"W-wha? What are you talking about? ART!"

"You must be first," ART continued, making a point to ignore Kagome's panicked voice as he continued to 'think' aloud. "Then the taiyoukai. I will just have to gas him since it would be far to dangerous to let him ou-" ART stopped abruptly, his eyes narrowed in confusion as his thermal sensors registered a significant drop of temperature in the room. He turned to Kagome and stepped back, his eyes widened in shock as a thin layer of ice formed around her prone form. The ice cracked underneath her weight, the sharp and explosive sound snapping throughout the room while it crept a foot up the wall behind her. It formed a tight circle around her, one half on the floor underneath her while the other remained jagged up the wall.

The ice strengthened layer by layer, the frozen water thickening until it could finally support her weight. Kagome rose stiffly, her legs shifting to lay on her right side as she held herself up with her arms. Dark hair hung around her in thick, wavy ropes to shroud her face. Her shoulders shook, whether from the cold or from her injuries ART wasn't certain.

"Kagome?" he began as he began to approach her. "Kagome, are you still there?"

She sniffed, then a single tear rolled down her cheek. The crystalline droplet remained suspended at the end of her chin as if frozen then fell like a perfectly cut diamond. ART gasped when the droplet landed, the splash and shattering of the tiny tear created a sudden burst of flame that sizzled and burned against the ice. Another drop fell and another fire was born, this one combining with the first to create a firewall around the sobbing girl. The fire increased with each tear, yet the ice remained as strong as when it was first formed.

"I see," ART finally whispered before lowering his hands. He continued to back away, watching with no small amount of amazement as the firewall became a dome around her, her form barely visible from beneath its shelter. "I will not harm you Kagome," he said as a panel of the far wall opened for him. He stepped inside slowly, beautiful eyes still trained on the slip of a girl who remained in her barrier. "Look Kagome. I'm done. I won't hurt you again." The panel slid closed and ART closed his eyes, his consciousness immediately transferring from its android body to the Emergency Shelter's main computer.

(-)

Sesshoumaru rammed into the door again and again bounced off it, this time with a sounding **pop** as he rebounded into a nearby wall. He grimaced and swore as his arm dangled from the shoulder at an odd angle. He took a few deep breaths before slamming his left arm into the wall again. He roared in pain as the arm was violently (and painfully) shoved back into its socket and sank down onto one of the wooden benches to rest.

'That youki seal is strong,' Sesshoumaru panted slightly. His inner youkai agreed unhappily. _'But we should still be able to get through it. I do not believe we are trying.'_

'Oh, and I suppose I allow you to try?' Sesshoumaru hm'ed in bitter amusement. 'Surely you jest. I just so happen to like having two arms and I know that is doomed to change should I allow you're less than gentle touch at the matter.'

'_Whatever,'_ his youkai growled in irritation. Sesshoumaru sighed and shoved the annoyance aside before glancing at the door again. His brow furrowed slightly as his head tipped to the side, the slight confusion darting in his eyes as he stared at the metal blockage. The door creaked then fell down before his very eyes, the youki seal no where to be found as the bright dojo light streamed in.

Sesshoumaru wasted no time in exiting as he stepped over the hunk of useless metal and stared inside, his youki raised and his right hand glowing a neon green. The green glow died almost instantly, frigid eyes warming in a foreign sense of compassion as he finally spied his human companion. He crossed the floor to her slowly, some inner sense alert and cautious to her small form as she lay quietly beside the far wall. Sesshoumaru frowned in shock when he stepped into an ice-cold pool of water. He soon realized that the small puddle was from the larger puddle Kagome lay in, her breathing slightly shallow while she lay face down in the water.

"Kagome?" he whispered once he finally reached her. She remained unresponsive, her shoulders barely moving and slight gurgling noises escaping her as she tried to breathe. Sesshoumaru crouched down beside her and lifted her out of the water. His brow wrinkled in concern at her unresponsiveness, her skin unusually cold and the shredded remains of her clothing clinging to her curves in a manner less than decent.

'We cannot concentrate on that now,' Sesshoumaru growled at his primal half . He stood up and cradled her against him, allowing her to share as much of his body heat as possible before leaving the dojo. He rushed down the hallway toward her bedroom then hastened to wrap a blanket around her once they were safely in the room. He dried her as quickly and as best he could before stripping her of everything but her underwear. Bruises glared angrily from her alabaster skin, three of the worst being one on the left side of her jaw, another across her right rib cage and the worst being a purple darkening outside her left thigh.

"It would seem that the simulation is not as harmless as you once believed," Sesshoumaru spoke aloud to the unconscious girl. He turned toward her wardrobe and ripped it open, clothes quickly spewing from its contents as he searched for something warmer for her to wear. He tugged a plain blue t-shirt from the bottom of the wardrobe and dressed her before pulling back the blankets and placing her into bed. He frowned while he tucked her in, finding her gray skin and unusually quiet countenance less than pleasing.

"Those bruises are sure to be a bother once she awakens," Sesshoumaru mused thoughtfully as he glanced around the room. A small shelf sitting on top of her nightstand caught his attention. The wooden shelf held what looked to be what was left of her vials of potions, hi-potions and elixers. He quickly grabbed one and managed to get her to swallow it. He stood by and waited for any adverse affects before walking out of the room. A sudden unease gripped him and he paused at her door before turning back. She looked to be sleeping peacefully but his sensitive nose quickly caught on to a change in her scent. He approached her again , raised her wrist to his nose and inhaled deeply.

'What is that?' he wondered as he sniffed again. 'Did the AI poison her somehow?' He started when her hand jerked away from him, his shock quickly increasing when she began to convulse. She shivered violently, her brow dotted with sweat and her pulse fluttering. Sesshoumaru quickly held her still, reached inside her mouth and grasped her tongue to keep her from swallowing it. She grunted repeatedly while her seizures worsened, then stopped as suddenly as they started. Sesshoumaru laid her back down gently, almost as if he were afraid to break her, and checked her temperature.

'Rather high for a human,' he said to himself as he searched through her vials again. 'What could have caused this? She was fine but a moment ago. Could she have been injured far worse than I realized?' He stopped when his foot connected with something and watched as the empty vial from earlier rolled toward the foot of her bed. He stooped down, grasped it between two claws and studied the label on the container.

'G-potion!' He blinked repeatedly, unsure of what he read before reading it again. 'What is this doing among her first aid potions?' The memory of a past chemistry class resurfaced, one in which the effects of using a g-or GF potion- on a human.

"_Youkai may not be affected," his teacher explained as he pointed toward the picture of the chemical structure of GF potions. "However, humans may suffer harmful, oftentimes permanent effects if ingested. Symptoms may include vomiting, convulsions, rapid rising and falling in temperature and, in extreme cases, brain damage and blindness."_

He could hear it now, he swore it. The complaints and wailing of his brother and her friends if she were to return with some handicap was almost echoing in his ears even as he sat there. Sesshoumaru sighed in aggravation, ignoring both his inner youkai and the voices as he wondered to himself, 'How could I not have noticed the vial's label?'

'_We were panicked,'_ his inner youkai offered. _'We do not have time to berate ourselves. We must get the program. He is the only one capable of working the infirmary equipment!'_

'I-'

"Se-(cough)-shou-"

Sesshoumaru turned just as Kagome collapsed into a fit of coughs, the sound abrasive and hacking to his ears. She frowned painfully and grasped her throat, then groaned and curled into a ball. "How are you?" Sesshoumaru asked, then mentally slapped himself for the stupid question.

"I'm cold," she moaned as she turned to him. "Why is it so cold? Everything hurts."

"I would imagine so." Sesshoumaru hesitated for a moment, then sighed and slipped into bed beside her. He pulled the covers over the both of them and, before he could give himself the time to question his actions, gathered her in his arms and wrapped his tail around them. He watched as she snuggled against him, the crown of her head safely tucked underneath his chin while her hands fluttered between themselves and his chest. He winced slightly when the icy digits grazed his skin but otherwise remained unmoved while she settled herself.

"You must remain still," he reprimanded when she began to struggle. "Your kicking about will not help."

A low laugh was her response before she sighed, the warmth she was seeking soon seeping throughout her body. She made what sounded like a purr of contentment before drifting into a dreamless sleep...thanks to Sesshoumaru's 'influence' of course.

He reduced the glow of his hand until it finally winked out, the toxin returned to its proper place as his tail adjusted around them. It felt weird to hold her, especially when she wore so little, but it was an odd weird. 'If weird can be odd,' he remarked sardonically as he pulled the blue and white checkerboard blankets farther up her form. 'I should not be doing this,' he sternly chastised himself with a stern scowl. His features softened when Kagome sighed, her lashes fanned lightly against her cheeks as her arm draped over his side.

He couldn't understand what it was about her that made him react so spontaneously, so thoughtlessly without any regard to his own concerns. Her screams would set him on edge and her tears seemed to light some sort of fire within him, something that was dangerous and ingrained deeper in him than he either noticed or cared to realize. Sesshoumaru pondered his thoughts about her silently until his eyes slipped closed and the waking world began to continue on without him.

III

Kagome's head appeared in the hallway, her blue-green eyes squinted slightly as she checked the opposite sides of the hallway. 'Whew,' she sighed in relief. 'Sesshoumaru must be in the hanger. Finally. Now maybe I can do what **I** want to do for a change.' Two weeks cooped in her room had taken its toll, something she was positive her high handed captain hadn't thought about when he confined her to her quarters. He issued permission for her to enter three rooms; her room, the library and the cafeteria. Anything else was strictly prohibited unless she gained his permission, in which she had a better chance of sprouting a pink calico tail from her forehead. She would see him twice a day, once to remind her of her restrictions and again in the afternoon to eat lunch with her. He sat quietly, his gaze darting to her every once in a while until his lunch was over. Then he would tilt her head toward him, wave his finger in front of her face and frown before leaving the room.

'You'd think I were dying or something,' Kagome snorted in aggravation. She checked for Sesshoumaru again, then rushed back into the room to change clothes. She remained in her pyjamas just in case he saw her, her excuse being that she was looking for him to ask a question. So far she hadn't thought of a question to ask him, but now that he wasn't anywhere around she no longer had to think of one. She reached inside her wardrobe and grasped the first thing she could see, which was an outfit held in a plastic garment bag. She ripped open the plastic, quickly stripped out of her pyjamas, and practically leapt into the outfit. She took a moment to glance over herself and smiled in approval. Her hair was loose for once and allowed to spill down her back in brush straightened strands. Opal blue sleeves tied to her upper arms with thin black suede tie-ons complemented her royal blue tank top with pale blue ruffles and an asymmetrical helmline. Her black lace miniskirt and chocolate leather boots were tied together with a baby blue belt and Junsei's silver holster strapped to her side.

Kagome winked at her reflection and flounced out, her happy mood dampening slightly as she stole a glance over the rail toward the second floor. 'Sesshoumaru Endo is not my keeper,' she growled to herself defiantly. 'And I'll just be damned if he started now. Hmnh!' She cast a quick Float on herself and vaulted over the railing. She held on to the rail tightly, making sure to judge her fall before releasing her metal bracing. She fell slowly to the next railing, then the next, then the one after that as she shied away from the strong pillar of white energy streaming from somewhere below her in the center of the circle.

Kagome jumped down on the seventh floor and waited for her Float spell to finally ebb away. She fluttered back to the steel walkway gently, her hair and clothes ruffling about her before the laws of gravity reclaimed their hold on her. Kagome looked over the railing and sighed, her eyes searching the second, third, fourth, and fifth floors for any sign of her snowy headed companion.

'I hate tricking him like this,' Kagome said to herself as she began her journey to the end of the hallway. 'But I'm so tired of sitting in that room! My bruises cleared days ago and he's **still** acting like a butt! Though, I have to admit,' Kagome thought as a fierce blush stained her cheeks. 'His worrying is ...sweet.' She collapsed into fuzzy thoughts, ones that included herself and a certain captain, wildflowers, candlelight dinners and-

"Oh who am I kidding!" Kagome spat as she hurriedly waved the images away. "This is _Sesshoumaru_ we're talking about! He's about as romantic as a boa constrictor! Besides, I'm not even interested in him like that. Now where was I?" She glanced up at the door in front of her and grinned. 'Finally!' she exclaimed happily as she raised her hand to the scanner on the right hand side of the door. The scanner beeped then the door slid open and Kagome cautiously walked inside.

The lab room before her was aged with dust swirling around in the fresh air. The laboratory was smaller than she thought with no more room than a hospital's examination room. The walls were painted a stark white and the little light the overhead florescent lighting could provide bounced off the cold tile and sparse furniture. A small cot was pushed against the left side of the room nearest to the wall and various medical equipment was pushed against the wall nearest her to the right. The small cryo tube she'd seen from the surveillance camera rested opposite a large wooden desk on the far left side of wall. At the very end of the room was a large window covered with a steel cover.

Kagome took a step in the room and froze when the lights finally flickered off, their ancient bulbs finally giving up the ghost. "ART," Kagome called out as the hazard lights came on. "Can you turn some lights on." She waited for his response over the P. A. System patiently, then snapped and snarled, "ART! Come on! Turn on a-" She frowned, her sudden torrent evaporating as a whispered, "oh" passed from her lips. "I forgot." Sesshoumaru had long since shut down the hospitality program and Kagome often found herself missing him in spite of his past behavior.

"Oh well," Kagome sighed forlornly. "There's nothing to be done about it now. Sesshoumaru won't turn him back on again, no matter what I say." She shook herself free of the sudden loneliness that overwhelmed her and walked toward the first thing she saw: the small examination table. Her fingers lightly grazed the table's cool metallic surface, her fingertips leaving deep trails in the dust film coating the table. She walked along the floor to the cryo chamber, unaware of the boot prints on the floor that followed the same path. They etched clear marks in the grime and, had Kagome seen them, would have been a clear sign that she was not the first to step into the room since the Emergency Shut Down.

"Hm..." Kagome hummed to herself as she peered into the cryogenic chamber. Inside was a soft pink blanket, a thin mattress and a small toy fox...but no child. "Weird," Kagome said when she stepped away. The chamber's lid slid closed with a hiss from it's hydraulic compressors. A little blue light flickered on inside, the glow warm and comforting before flickering off again.

"Where's the kid?" she asked herself and looked around as if she expected a baby girl to crawl from one of the dark corners. "Maybe...maybe Baralai took her with him," she concluded confidently. "In the pictures it looked like he practically loved the little girl. Maybe he took her with him when the lockdown began." She turned toward the desk next, a slight wondering flittering across her mind about the desk's position against the steel covered window before shrugging it off and opening the first drawer. Nothing but pens and other office supplies greeted her in all the drawers but one, which was locked. She tugged and pulled on the handle until the lock broke and the drawer sprang open. Inside she found nothing but a small velvet box. 'Empty,' Kagome sighed, then tossed the box behind her and began opening the drawers of a nearby file cabinet. Each of the seven drawers were empty as if someone had taken Dr. Baralai's research and ran for his life.

"Great," Kagome groaned as she plunked down in the desk chair. "How in the world am I supposed to learn anything if there's nothing here?" She dropped her forehead on the desk's surface and groaned again, then yelped in surprise as a rusty metal grating sounded throughout the room. Kagome sat up ramrod straight and watched with wide eyes as the metal grate covering the window shuddered and groaned toward a large metal container bolted to the ceiling.

Kagome jumped out of her chair in shock, her mouth unhinged and her hands instantly flying to Junsei's handle as the Gama Weapon was revealed to be on the other side of the glass. She gasped again and covered her ears when it roared and banged it's giant paws against the wall on the other side of its pen.

"Oh my God!" she exclaimed in a panic. "I thought-what's it still doing here!"

The Gama Weapon roared again and attacked another wall, it's massive claws creating deep, jagged ridges in the wall's concrete surface. Kagome hands flew to her mouth when it turned toward the window, it's glowing green eyes narrowing at the sight of her. She retreated slowly, the panic in her scent and aura intensifying until the creature gave a deafening snarl and charged the window. Kagome turned and ran just as the reinforced glass shattered.

(-)

'One more screw and...Got it!'

Sesshoumaru set his screwdriver beside him and smirked, the last piece of the pilot's console finally in place. He stood up and examined his work, making sure that every wire, nut, bolt and wire was safely inside the small desk. He dropped the golf ball shaped crystal into a slotted crevice and watched with a smile as the pilot's welcoming message flashed on the dropped screen in Al Bhed. He removed the crystal and pocketed it before stepping on the lift to leave the cockpit. He peered into the Passenger's Deck and assessed the repairs he made previously. Kagome's coat, train case and duffle bag rested comfortably across a row of seats beside him. Sesshoumaru's bag sat waiting as well and from the looks of things everything was ready to go. The cryogenic food chambers were already loaded into the storage rooms connected with the food processors in the Passenger's Deck and everything else involving the engines, weapons and climate control was taken care of.

'Now all that is left is to inform Kagome,' Sesshoumaru said to himself as he returned his small tools to their toolcase and placed them in his back pocket. 'I'm sure she will rejoice at the news.'

He left the hanger and boarded the elevator, his golden eyes cool and impassive as the elevator doors closed in front of him. A sense of dread was slowly gripping him for some reason, and Sesshoumaru had the feeling that it had nothing do with the fact that he was...reluctant...to regroup with the rest of the world.

'I have responsibilities,' he said to himself while the elevator continued its descent. 'I have studies to complete, though I dread them worse than any fiend. I don't believe I-'

"Warning! Warning! Breech in Lab 4! Warning! Warning!"

The elevator ground to a stop and Sesshoumaru grunted when the sudden force slammed him into the elevator's side. He growled in aggravation and focused on restarting the elevator as the announcement continued, this time with bright flashing red lights. The announcement was repeated in both Al Bhed and their native English.

"Warning! Warning! Breech in Lab 4! All sentry units please report to Lab 4! All laboratory personnel should report to the nearest evacuation center immediately! Warning! Warning!"

"Kagome!" was his first thought as he snarled and ripped the elevator doors open. He jumped down just as a roar ripped through the air from the floors above. "Kagome! Answer me woman!"

"Sesshoumaru!" came her reply from below him. The creature growled again, then howled in agony before her fingers appeared on the floor ledge in front of him.

"What are you doing down there?" Sesshoumaru demanded as he grabbed Junsei and slung it over his shoulder. He grasped her hand and jerked her up easily, her beaded earrings clicking together nosily as Kagome leaned over the railing and gasped.

"We don't have much time!" she exclaimed as she grabbed his hand and sprinted toward the elevator. Sesshoumaru allowed her to drag him behind her, all the while questioning her about her whereabouts and the roars that were coming from the lower floors. "Kagome!" Sesshoumaru said before his patience finally snapped. He brutally jerked her toward him and grabbed her when she smashed into his chest. He grasped her upper arms and moved to shake her when she looked up at him, bottle green eyes wide with fright and her skin as white as a ghost. "Kagome what happened?" he asked in a calmer voice. She shook violently, Junsei forgotten as she dropped the weapon and huddled against him like a frightened and wounded animal.

"I didn't mean to let it out," he heard her whisper as the roars and growls grew closer. "I didn't know. If I know I swear I wouldn't have. I didn't mean to-"

"To let what out Kagome?" She looked up and over his shoulders, her wide eyes becoming wider and her pupils no more than tiny pinpricks as she backed up toward the other end of the hallway. "What is it Kagome? What did you let ou-"

**RRRRRRROOOOOOAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRR!**

Kagome screamed and Sesshoumaru winced as both sounds abused his ears. He grasped Shikyo's handle, withdrew the blade and quickly turned around, only to nearly drop it in shock as the forest green hide of the Gama Weapon shuddered with the force if its walk.

"You let it out!" he bellowed in her face before grabbing her around her waist. Kagome whimpered in terror, her good senses leaving her the moment the fiend landed behind them. Sesshoumaru sighed in frustration and bounded into the elevator he just evacuated. His poison ate through the top of the elevator and he jumped through the resulting hole with Kagome firmly in his grasp. He vaulted up the elevator shaft just as the elevator itself was ripped out. Wires and cables fizzled and popped around him as he flew back to the second floor, his right index and middle fingers already glowing with yellow electricity. The second floor entrance doors were cut to ribbons by his electric whip and Sesshoumaru darted inside with the Gama Weapon quickly ascending the elevator shaft toward them.

"Kagome, snap out of it!" Sesshoumaru ordered as he snapped his fingers in front of her. The distraught never left her face but she did finally glare in his direction. "Good. That's better. You're going to have to use your magic Kagome."

"I can't," Kagome whimpered pitifully. "Have you seen him? He practically pounced on me! I don't think I can-"

"Don't think!" Sesshoumaru growled as the Gama Weapon howled from behind them. "Just do it!"

"Um, ok," Kagome nodded meekly. She yipped in surprise when he began moving again, this time with his nimbus firmly underneath their feet. "Your youki's back."

Sesshoumaru smirked absently in her direction, his focus more on their destination than on her observations. "It has been back for some time now."

"Oh. Where are we going?"

"Here." Sesshoumaru stopped long enough for the hanger bay doors to open, then zipped inside toward the Black Dragon's cargo bay ramp. He stopped at the top of the cargo bay ramp just as the Gama Weapon thundered through the door with a mighty roar.

"Sesshoumaru, what are you doing?" Kagome yelled from where he sat her. Sesshoumaru pounded on a small console near the rampway, his frustration clear in his narrowed and pinking eyes as he looked up to glare at her. "I cannot get the outside doors to open."

"Can't you just shoot-"

"No, I can't!" Sesshoumaru interrupted. "You're going to have to hold it off until I can open the doors manually."

"But-"

"Do it!"

Kagome groaned as he disappeared up the stairs to the cockpit, leaving her all alone while the Gama Weapon growled and snarled at the plane. "Oh well," she said to herself as she stood up and raised her hands. "Here goes nothing." She tosses a quick Tornado spell in the fiend's direction and looks away as debris goes flying throughout the hanger. The Gama Weapon howls in surprise as it was picked up and tossed across the hanger. It growled in confusion as it stumbled to it's feet then snarled and stampeded in Kagome's direction.

"Oooo Sesshoumaru," Kagome whimpers as she mentally searches through her list of spells. "Hurry up and get this thing going." The airship suddenly jerked forward and Kagome quickly grasped a nearby rail as the ship rose from the floor.

"Strap in Kagome," she heard Sesshoumaru say over the airship's P. A. System. "It's time to go."

Kagome held on to the side railing as the ship rocketed toward the far end of the runway. The doors to the outside were still closed and Kagome screamed as they got closer to them. The doors opened seconds before they reached them and the Black Dragon zoomed out of the hanger and into the wide blue sky.

The Gama Weapon followed close behind and was preparing to fly after them when a large chunk of rock collided with its side. Hundreds more began to pelt it on all sides and the creature whimpered in defeat and slunk back to the darkness of the shelter below. The doors closed as the last of the rocks fell from the sky, the hardened chunks of space debris banging and exploding on the hard metal doors.

"Kagome?"

Kagome sighed in relief, the glowing green rim around her eyes dying as she closed them.

"Kagome?"

There was nothing below her but sea and nothing above them but sky and all around her was the sense of freedom, of hope...

And sadness. Her time alone with Inuyasha's brother was coming to an end.

"Kagome? Are you there?"

"Yes Sesshoumaru," she answered softly, her voice laced with a small amount of sadness. "I'm here. I'm alright."

"Shut the cargo bay door. We're losing altitude."

"Yes, of course." Kagome slammed her hand into the large blue button and sat by as the cargo bay ramp raised itself, the happiness she felt earlier disappearing with the rays of the sun.

(End Chapter)

SF: Hey people! How's it hangin-URK!

Sesshou: (choking SF) Just where have you been crossbreed. You've left this Sesshoumaru and other readers waiting on you!

SF: (between shakes) I'm sorry!

Kagome: Maybe you should put her down Sesshoumaru. She can't explain if you don't let her.

Sesshou: Perhaps your right miko. (Sets SF down) Explain. Now.

SF: Um...yeah. Well, for one, I moved to a whole new state two months ago. I'm now back in my home state...which isn't much different than NC.

Sesshou: And?

SF: And...I had to get some things fixed.

Inu-chan: That's it? You had to get some stuff fixed? Man that's so lame. Sesshoumaru, shake her again.

Sesshou: Gladly-

SF: Hey, wait a sec! I'm trying to catch up with the stories right now! So leave me alone you guys!

Sango: I agree. Let's let her catch up with the stories...then choke her.

SF: Jeez, thanks a lot. Anyway, the summary is below.

Summary-Inuyasha: Man, what I wouldn't give to show Kouga how much his 'leadership' means. Right now's not the time though. Esthar's under siege and I'm just itching to whoop some New Galbadian ass. Hey, wait a sec-

Miroku: What my friend forgot to mention is that this siege is nothing like before. This time President Deling wants Esthar and he's stopping at nothing to get it. If only there was some way to call for help...but who would hear us?

Next chapter: Chapter Seventeen: Pick-Up Sticks.

(Outfit(s) in the chapter)

Kagome:

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(Review Responses)

**Fanfiction** (I've recently received word that FF is punishing authors for answering their reader responses. Because of this, I'm moving my responses to Sorry for the inconvenience.)


	17. PickUp Sticks

Disclaimer: Nope, I don't own it. If I did then I wouldn't have been away for so long. So sorry you guys.

Chapter Sixteen: Pick-Up Sticks

The horizon stretched out endlessly, the white fluffs of clouds lazily drifting along their merry way as the Black Dragon flew along among them. The rising sun shimmered along the airship's onyx metallic side and into its windows brightly, and Sesshoumaru scowled in spite of himself.

'Blast this infernal sunlight,' he griped unhappily as he held his hand to his eyes for a makeshift shield. 'How is one supposed to see if the sun gets in the way? What a bother.' He growled slightly and sighed, his indignation leaving as quickly as it came. He checked the navigation controls and sighed again, then entered a conformation command before the screen winked off.

They would report to the emergency station at Fisherman's Horizon in twenty-four hours, leaving another day before he and Kagome were bombarded with questions and inquires about the time they were gone. Sesshoumaru was not looking forward to it needless to say, but there was more to it than having to give the same report time and time again. The closer they came to FH the more he wanted to turn the ship around and go someplace else, any place else, that didn't involve the rest of the world. Now that he looked back on his time spent inside the shelter, he realized that there he was actually more free than he had ever been in his life. Free from all responsibility (save one) and almost all accountability, the Sesshoumaru that resided inside the underground sanctuary could be whomever he wanted to be without question or concern about whether others would approve.

'Not that I concerned myself with the thoughts of others in the first place,' Sesshoumaru hm'ed slightly. His ears shifted back, then he turned as the lift's gears groaned into action. The face of his smiling companion appeared moments later, the steam from the Styrofoam cup in her hand clouding around her hands as she stepped off the platform and walked toward him with a happy bounce.

"Good morning Sesshoumaru," Kagome sang out as she set the cup inside a cupholder inside the armrest of Sesshoumaru's chair. "How are you?"

"As well as can be expected," he mumbled and swirled a finger inside the steaming cup. Kagome winced as the digit came in contact with the hot liquid inside.

"Doesn't that hurt?" she asked when he remained silent. Sesshoumaru shook his head, then dried his hand and returned to the cockpit controls.

"So-"

"We will arrive at FH in 24 hours," he said before she could finish. "Hopefully the emergency station is still operational."

"Yeah," Kagome sighed as she sank down in front of the gunner's control panel. "We've been gone for a long time huh?" She expected not to get an answer, so she wasn't surprised when she didn't. "Man, I wonder how everyone is. I bet Shippou's grown up some." She giggled softly, her hand covering her mouth to muffle the sound. "I wonder if Miroku and Sango still fight."

"What of Inuyasha?"

"Huh?" Kagome sat up, the wistfulness gone from her tone as she stared at the back of his head. "What about him?"

"Surely you miss him."

"Well yeah, of course," Kagome agreed. "Just like I miss Kikyou, Sango, Miroku and Shippou. We're all friends. But…"

"But?"

"I miss Souta most."

"Who is this Souta?" Sesshoumaru asked as Kagome lost herself in thought. "Kagome?"

"Hm? Oh, Souta's my little brother."

"You have a little brother?"

"Yeah," Kagome replied then smirked. "You didn't think you were the only person in the world who knew the pains of having a younger brother did you?" She laughed when he 'hm'ed in irritation and waited for him to turn around before continuing. "To be honest, Souta's not that bad. We don't see a lot of each other –"

"Lucky you."

"Oh stop that," Kagome chided softly. "I bet you miss Inuyasha too. I know he misses you."

"Highly doubtful," Sesshoumaru remarked dryly before turning back to the console. Kagome huffed in frustration, knowing better than to go any further on the subject before deciding to change it altogether. "Are you looking forward to going back to the Garden?"

"As much as any person I suppose," Sesshoumaru quipped as he exited out of a command screen. "Why, aren't you?"

"…Well…not really."

"Really?" He turned to Kagome in surprise. "Why not?"

"Don't get me wrong, I want to see my friends," Kagome said while she reclined back in her seat. "But I can't help but feel like I'm forgetting something, like I'm leaving something behind." She laughed suddenly and smiled at him, her happiness shining in her eyes. "But I definitely can't wait to climb a tree again."

"What is so important about a tree?" Sesshoumaru wondered in confusion. "They are everywhere so what is so fascinating about them?"

"I'm from Esthar remember?" Kagome reminded him. "So I guess I'm still not too used to trees and stuff. Shippou, Miroku and Inuyasha taught me how to climb and that's where I used to go to think. I'm pretty sure my old oak tree is still standing near Balamb."

"Then perhaps we should go there first," Sesshoumaru lightly proposed. "That way you may have your human time before we return."

"Ha ha, real funny," Kagome grumbled. "What, don't tell me you never played in trees as a kid."

"Actually, no, I did not. I did not 'play' as you call it. I was busy performing other tasks."

"What other tasks?" Kagome wondered curiously. "I mean, if you don't mind telling me."

"What is there to tell?" Sesshoumaru replied, then turned around again when the pilot's console beeped. "I am the firstborn of my family, so there were responsibilities to learn."

"Like what?" Kagome asked. She was always interested in the inu brothers' past, and since Inuyasha never talked about it she decided to use this opportunity to learn more about them.

"Such as…well…there are the royal duties I am to take care of after Father retires, then the ambass-"

"Royal duties!" Kagome interrupted aloud. "What royal duties are you talking about?"

"My father is the Taiyoukai of the West." He glanced over his shoulder, then turned around once more at the shock on her face. "Surely Inuyasha explained this to you."

"Uh-uh," Kagome replied with a shake of her head. "Whenever I would ask about you guys he would change the subject. So you guys are, like, princes or something right?"

"Something of that nature, yes," Sesshoumaru answered. "And Inuyasha never told you? I can't imagine why not," he said when she shook her head again. "Though his studies are not as numerous as mine, I am sure they are quite tedious for him."

"But what kind of studies?" Kagome wondered aloud. "And it's not like you have to study all the time, right? I mean, Inuyasha hates books, so I can't see him studying during our breaks."

"Inuyasha has no real need of our studies," Sesshoumaru explained sardonically before resetting a mistyped command. "Only I am required to maintain the ways of our species and the laws that govern us."

"So you'll be like a judge or something, right?"

"Yes," Sesshoumaru nodded. "Something like that I suppose."

"And Inuyasha doesn't have to learn it because he's not…um…what's the word now…"

"He's not the firstborn heir," Kagome heard Sesshoumaru reply. "Though he could at least try to be more responsible."

"Yeah, I guess he could," Kagome agreed absently. She was instantly lost in thought, mentally replaying all of her memories of the two brothers as they grew up in the Garden. Nothing about either of them suggested royalty; though she had noticed the special way some of the Garden officials would treat them when they would fight. Things that would get a regular Garden student expelled would be overlooked in their case, and now Kagome could see why. Ambassador Endo was well known, respected and powerful, so it was no real surprise that his sons would be pardoned for any trespasses.

"But why did you come to the Garden?" Kagome couldn't help but ask. "Was that part of your training too?"

"No," he answered with a slight shake of his head. "I wanted to become a SeeD. It was…one of the few studies our father approved of."

'He **WANTED** to be a SeeD!' Kagome thought in shock. 'No way. Who else but Inuyasha becomes a SeeD because they **want** to!' She couldn't imagine anyone wanting to come to the Garden as a child. Inuyasha, Shippou, even Sango; who's father attended the Garden, didn't exactly want to _be_ at the Garden. Home (well, everyone's home but hers) was so much better than being inside the Garden's sterile white walls. No one wanted to stay inside the small dorms or with the irritable Garden staff. As a matter of fact, the only sensible reason anyone would want to be at the Garden was if….

'If home were worse,' Kagome realized, her puzzlement melting into sympathy and heartfelt understanding. During the Christmas and spring breaks, Inuyasha would go to Winhill to stay with Miroku, or ride to Dollet with Kikyou once they started dating. Inuyasha always stayed with a friend, but Sesshoumaru boarded the train to Timber every break, supposedly taking the next train from there to Deling City. Kagome realized that breaks weren't breaks for him, not when more lessons and studies awaited him once he came home.

'He never got to be a kid.' Kagome thought as she stood from her seat and walked toward the back of his chair. 'He never got to run, or jump, or _play_. No wonder he wanted to be a SeeD.

'He wanted an escape and a chance to be his own person.'

It never occurred to Kagome that she might have been exaggerating Sesshoumaru's suffering. To her, it was the saddest thing she'd ever heard, an atrocity against everything decent and humane, and it explained everything about Sesshoumaru's behavior, including his frigid attitude.

Sesshoumaru stiffened instantly, his senses on alert the moment she touched him. His hand reached up to clasp hers and held them steady at the center of his chest. Kagome stayed in this awkward position with her arms around his shoulders in a clumsy, but well meant, hug and rested her head on his right shoulder when he finally relaxed.

"Is there something I can help you with," he growled crossly. "There is more to be done than-"

"Sesshoumaru, will you still be my friend when we get back to everyone?"

Sesshoumaru paused a moment, taking the time to think over her question before asking, "Do you consider us…'friends' now?"

Kagome nodded enthusiastically. "Of course I do!" she laughed softly. "You're still an evil snot, but you're my friend." She frowned suddenly, the sparkle in her eyes fading to worry. "But you might not want anyone to see you with me. I am just a human and everything so-"

"You are not just a human," Sesshoumaru found himself saying before he could stop himself. He quickly erased the surprise on his face before it could match hers and mentally shook himself before continuing. "You're…unique, in your own aggravating way. You're actually clever, which is something the rest of your kind cannot say for itself."

"Gee, thanks Sesshoumaru," Kagome griped good-naturedly. "You're a real ladykiller."

"Do not speak such nonsense," Sesshoumaru jokingly reprimanded. "And do not make fun of me. I am…not used to giving praise."

"I know it. It's all right. I'm just kidding. You still haven't answered my question though."

"Will we be friends….yes, I suppose we will be," Sesshoumaru nodded after a moment's thought. "I do not see why we cannot be. So long as it's what you wish-"

"It is!" Kagome chirped excitedly.

"Then it is what it will be," Sesshoumaru determined; then growled in agitation. "Unless Inuyasha disagrees."

"Well I hate it for him," Kagome replied in determination. She stepped back and twirled around with her arms stretched out. Sesshoumaru shook her head and watched her, his eye missing the tiny yellow blinking light as she danced in front of him. Her hair, which had long since grown down past her waist, was pulled back in a low braid that swirled around her hips like leaves in a gust of wind. Her pink cotton hood flopped about behind her and the tiny black strings laced up the front of her white tank top freely swung from their places at her collar. A pair of calf high boots, with a swatch of powdery blue swishing from her right side and dark blue denim shorts showed off her legs and before Sesshoumaru could fully appreciate the view she was in front of him, her blue green eyes sparkling like the ocean in the afternoon sun.

"Do you promise?" she breathed excitedly, a wide grin breaking across her face. "Promise that we'll stay friends no matter what?"

"Yes," Sesshoumaru nodded and watched as her smile only grew. "I give you my wor-urk!" He struggled to keep them from tipping backward when she vaulted into the pilot's seat with him, her arms once again around his neck as she entrapped him in a fierce hug.

"That's so good to hear!" she laughed against his shoulder. "I was so worried! I thought you would ignore me once we got back! I-I…um…what's that?"

"What's what?" Sesshoumaru wondered lazily, his mind more focused on the warm happy bundle in his lap than their surroundings. He spun the chair around and glanced at the pilot's console, then nearly dropped his precious cargo as the yellow light at the top of the screen blinked at him. Kagome jumped up so he could access the signal and put it over the P. A. system.

"What is it?" Kagome asked again as he turned up the volume. "Is it something bad?"

"I do not know," Sesshoumaru replied before kicking the bottom of the console. "I'm having trouble with the-ah, there it is," he said as static sounded over the speakers. He turned a knob underneath the keyboard until the signal cleared and a voice rang out into the cabin.

"This is an SOS calling for anyone in the area. We have an emergency situation. Please respond!"

"That's Kouga!" Kagome exclaimed, unaware of Sesshoumaru's grimace once he recognized the voice. "Hey, I wonder what's going on!"

"This is Captain Kouga Bravaldi in Esthar! We have an emergency situation! New Galbadian troops have stormed the city! My team's being overrun here and we can't do a hell of a lot to stop it! This is an SOS to anyone that can hear me! Respond!"

"Well what are we waiting for?" Kagome asked as Sesshoumaru picked up the ship's com link microphone. "Aren't you going to say anything?"

"I cannot," he replied irritably. "The com link isn't operational. It is…one of the things I forgot to fix."

"Ok then," Kagome readily accepted. "What do we do? We're too far away for anyone to help him."

"We're not," Sesshoumaru corrected. "It would not take us but a few minutes to reach Esthar Airstation. From there we can find our way to Kouga and his team."

"Then let's do it!" Kagome exclaimed. "We've got to help Kouga!"

'_Awww! Do we have to!' _Sesshoumaru's inner youkai whined in exasperation. Sesshoumaru ignored it to reset their flight plan, erasing Fisherman's Horizon from his coordinates and his thoughts before turning to Kagome. "Suit up," he called to her as she jumped onto the elevator platform. "We do not know what's ahead of us, so be ready for anything. And Kagome?"

"Yeah," she said as she pressed the elevator control button."

"Why do you wish to help the wolf?"

"Because he's my friend," she said with a smile. "You have too many friends," Sesshoumaru remarked as he began to descend.

(-)

'My God…what on earth happened here?'

Sesshoumaru glanced over his shoulder, his descent from the Black Dragon's cargo bay ramp momentarily deterred once Kagome's stray thought touched his psyche. She stood frozen, her eyes wide in horror and her hand brushing against her open mouth. She stared at one corner of the Airstation, then another as she soaked in the bloodshed that remained of a previous battle. Bodies, both of SeeD members and Airstation personnel alike, littered the once polished pale blue tile of the front lobby. A vicious roar then a scream from outside startled her and she glanced up at Sesshoumaru, the first sprinkling of tears clinging desperately to the corners of her eyes.

"What was that?" she choked out as she made her way toward him. "Is it inside the Airstation?"

"No." Sesshoumaru shook his head. "That is outside, some distance away from us."

"Oh." She glanced around again and kneeled down beside the nearest body. Lifeless brown eyes stared into hers and Kagome quickly closed them before she could study the damage done to the rest of the face and body. "What could have done this?" she asked as Sesshoumaru led the way to the front entrance.

"It smells of a fiend, some sort of tiger-like creature," he replied. He glanced through the pristine glass doors to the plexi glass streets and walkways outside, and frowned. It was no surprise that the doors themselves were spotless and free of blood. He guessed that the attack started here and spread into the city itself.

'Which would explain the other airships we landed near,' Sesshoumaru thought as he pressed his fingertips to the glass. A mental image of the past few hours replayed in his head, with the New Galbadian army quickly overrunning the unloading and receiving areas of the Airstation. The staff and SeeD held the lobby area firm until the release of the torama, three in all and infinitely more powerful than the tiny squadron of SeeD. The tiger creatures worked quickly, first picking off the SeeD before taking their time with the Airstation staff. Their valiant efforts were left splattered in dark crimson tears that dripped thickly down the Airstation's walls

They never had a chance.

'Deling has become more of a nuisance during our absence,' Sesshoumaru determined with a displeased sigh. He released the door when his image appeared in front of him, the last one before then being of the army's quiet impregnation of the city. 'He's gained the use of fiends as well. This does not bode well for the city.' He unsheathed Shikyo from his side, Junsei's answering song from it's leather bindings the only sound in the room before he opened the door and took the first cautious step outside.

The air around them was eerily quiet, yet the scent of blood and death was strong on the early afternoon wind. His ears picked up a tiny cry in the distance and he turned toward the sound. It was too far away for Kagome to hear; yet she shook as if it had torn through her like a brisk arctic wind. The walkways and streets, normally so pristine in their pale shades of pastel blues, yellows and whites, were stained with bright splotches of dark red. A small bear sat in a pool of it in front of them, its owner and friend no doubt lost over the other side of the ledge.

"How can they do this?" Kagome whispered brokenly, her hands trembling along Junsei's handle. "Don't they care about the people they're hurting? About the things they're destroying? Don't they care?"

"War is not about caring," Sesshoumaru replied coldly. "War is about winning at all costs. The people and things that get in the way are inconsequential."

"You wouldn't say that if it were Deling City being ruined."

"Perhaps not," Sesshoumaru agreed after a moment's thought. "But this is not Deling City."

"No it's not," Kagome growled, her grip reinforcing itself on her weapon's handle. "This is my city. I won't stand by and let them do this." He watched as her shoulders straightened and her eyes steeled in determination, all traces of grief and despair burning away to righteous fury. The blue swatch of cloth fluttered at her side as she turned to the left of the city, her profile more the avenging goddess than of the happy go lucky young woman he'd come to know and trust.

"We will separate here," Sesshoumaru told her as he glanced toward the left as well. "What is the layout of the city?"

"It's split in half," Kagome replied with her back still turned to him. "The left and the right. They're connected by one highway and two sets of lift tubes. I doubt they're working though, not in anything like this. Places like the old Odine lab and the Presidential Palace are on our right. The shopping center and the main entrance gate to the city are on our left."

"Then you go left. I shall take the right."

"And we meet in the middle?"

"Yes," Sesshoumaru nodded absently. "We meet in the middle, on the highway you informed me of. Kagome," he called out just as she began to make her way. "What is in the center of the city?"

"Um…homes and stuff. Why?"

"For tactical reasons."

"Oh. Ok then. And Sesshoumaru? Be careful." He glanced back, no doubt to give her a remark about how only humans needed to be careful, and found her gone. He watched her as she ran down one of the lift tubes with her gunblade to the side and behind her as the heavy thudding of her boots bounced against the fiberglass walls. His head tilted to the side, golden eyes thoughtful slits before he turned and walked toward the right side of the city.

Nimble cinnamon paws dashed among the debris littering the city streets, their pursuer no less nimble as the roars and the grinding of gears thickened the air around them. The child on his back trembled and tightened his grip on Shippou's neck as the massive broadsword of the fiend behind them barely missed the toddler's head. A light brown strand of Shippou's fur fluttered to the ground and Shippou snarled in frustration before bounding down a dimly lit alleyway. The mutated, overgrown version of the Tin Woodsman roared furiously as it tripped over objects Shippou darted over or underneath and Shippou soon found himself a good distance ahead of the iron giant.

He blamed Kagome for this, though how he thought it was justified when she wasn't even there was something he wasn't willing to explore at the moment. He himself was running for his life after being separated from Kouga and the others and found the little boy wailing in his doorway, his hands tightly clutching the strands of his dead father's hair. He stopped almost immediately, his inner beast cursing him for not leaving the child behind as he stooped down and comforted the boy. No sooner had he calmed the child did the Iron Giant crash into the house beside them. It completely obliterated the structure before catching sight of them and at once the chase was on, with Shippou transforming and tossing the terrified tot onto his back without a second thought.

Shippou leapt over the shattered chunks of roadway and darted to the right, only to double back as an enormous steel boot crashed down in front of them. He jumped to the side, ran to the left and was blocked by the purple gargantuan's colossal weapon. Shippou backed away from it slowly, his forest green eyes remaining focused on it until his back touched the last thing he expected: a solid, impassible wall. He groaned in annoyance, lowered his haunches and turned back to the fiend. The little boy slid off of his back and stood behind him as Shippou returned to his humanoid form.

"Get back kid," Shippou whispered softly as he glared at the monster in front of them. "This isn't gonna be pretty." The little boy grasped his leg instead and Shippou sighed before reaching for a pouch of potions and grenades strapped to his left side. The Iron Giant snarled in warning and Shippou groaned again.

"Great," Shippou muttered to himself. "I would get the smart one. Man, what do I do now?" The fiend answered for him as he roared and raised his sword. Routes of escape were nonexistent so Shippou did the only thing he could; he grabbed the child and shielded him with his body, his tail encircling the ground around them in a feeble attempt at a shield. The giant charged toward them, the golden sunlight glimmering off of the fiend's shoulder horns the last image Shippou saw before he shut his eyes.

He opened them again when the giant grunted, Shippou's eyes impossibly wide as a pink electric field held the broadsword suspended in the air between them. Despite the fiend's best efforts, no amount of pulling, pushing or yanking could free the sword from the energy's pure grip. Shippou glanced up from the fiend to a lift tube above them, the figure inside barely visible as it exited the nearest lift entrance and jumped from the ledge toward them. The figure landed on the fiend's right side before it disappeared in a quick burst of speed. The iron giant remained distracted until the very end when the long blue steel of a gunblade sank deep into its chestplate. Electricity crackled and popped along the weapon's surface and before the explosion and the stench of gunpowder and grease came the unexpected scent of lilies and lavender.

The explosion rocked Shippou off his feet yet he managed to keep his hold on his charge as the wind shrieked past them. He waited until the smoke cleared and the wind died down before looking up again, this time at the wall behind him and the large black smudge it now sported. He coughed, the black soot sticking to his lungs, and fanned the air clear so he could breathe. The figure had jumped clear of the blast and now stood in front of him, her back turned to him as a cool breeze blew the rest of the soot and ash away.

She turned and with a smile as bright and beautiful as he remembered, laughed and said, "Hi!"

"Kagome!" he cried out and dashed toward her, his companion forgotten as he swooped up the lost SeeD in his arms and twirled her around in excitement. Her laugh filed his ears and lightened his heart, something he desperately needed and missed as Kagome hugged him back.

"I've missed you so much!" Shippou told her once he finally calmed down. "It's been hell here without you! Sango and Miroku don't fight anymore, Inuyasha and Kouga are **always** fighting and-"

"Wait a sec," Kagome interrupted. "Did you say Kouga? What about Kouga?"

"Well, when you and Sesshoumaru disappeared, Kouga became our captain," Shippou explained. He frowned worriedly at Kagome's concern, her hand instantly returning to her sheathed weapon as she glanced toward the right side of the city. "What going on Kagome?" he asked as the little boy came up and grasped his pantsleg again. "What's wrong?"

"We heard Kouga's SOS call," Kagome said. "We came here to help and-where is he? And where are the others?"

"I don't know," Shippou shrugged. "We were heading toward that highway in the center of the city when we were ambushed. We were forced to separate and well…I haven't heard anything from them for at least a couple of hours. That doesn't mean a lot thought," Shippou grimaced angrily. "Somehow the Galbadians figured out how to jam our communications systems. Sucks."

"You guys were going to the highway?" Kagome asked, then laughed, pointed a finger behind him and shook her head. "Shippou you emptyhead! You're practically there!"

"Huh?" Shippou glanced behind him at the wall and found that behind it and the black smudge mark was small steel catwalk leading toward a highway in the distance. "Well what are we standing around here for?" he shouted as he picked up the little boy and began to make his way across the narrow passage. "Let's go already! I can't wait for everyone to see you!"

Together they made the perilous journey to the other side, both unaware of the dizzying height they had to cross until they were well on their way. For Shippou it was for worse because of his need to glance back at her, to assure himself that what his eyes were seeing and what his ears were hearing was true. Here she was, back with him, and all of his old feelings for her resurfaced. He couldn't help but notice how much she had changed, not only on the inside but the outside as well. She was showing a lot more skin, she was more confidant and…well, she was showing a lot more skin.

'Not that I'm complaining,' Shippou mused with a mischievous smirk. 'But I wonder how the others are going to react.' They met up with a family hiding inside a house beside the catwalk and, to their surprise, they turned out to be the boy's mother, aunt and cousins who had managed to hide when the attack first started. The boy's mother was grateful to the point of tears at seeing her son alive and promised the SeeDs that she would take him and the rest of her remaining family to the nearest shelter as soon as it was safe to. Shippou and Kagome continued the rest of the way in silence, the thousands of questions simmering underneath the surface quieted at the differences in their friends.

To Kagome, Shippou not only looked older but he acted older, his actions more cautious than the carefree kitsune she left behind so many months before. 'Could he really have changed so much in so little time?' Kagome wondered while she tightened her grasp on the catwalk's railing. 'He's so somber, so serious. Is this what's happened to everyone else? Will I even _recognize _anyone else?'

Shippou glanced over his shoulder and frowned slightly at the worried look on Kagome's face. 'She's probably confused,' he concluded as kicked a small pebble off of the rampway. 'Everything's changed since she's been gone but not her…well, not exactly. She smells different, more…I don't know. I can't put it into words but there's a part of me that fears her now that didn't before. My inner youkai recognizes her as a danger but it's Kagome. She's never hurt me…but there's something about her, something I can't put my finger on…'

"Hey Shippou?"

"Yeah Kagome?" he answered before daring to look back at her. "What is it?"

"What's that sound? It sounds like people."

'People? Out in the open during something like this? Not likely but…' Shippou took a few whiffs and grinned, relief relaxing his shoulders as he reached back for Kagome's hand and ran the rest of the way across. Kagome gasped in surprise but held on and somehow managed to keep up. They burst into the open moments later, both temporarily blinded by the intense sunlight as it bounced off of the few clean surfaces on the roadway. Shippou pulled Kagome up the highway, his tail twitching in excitement as a group of people stood arguing in the middle of the road.

"Hey Kagome, I've got an idea," Shippou said with an impish grin. "You stay right here ok?"

"Why?" Kagome asked, her smile growing as Shippou bounced from one foot to the other. "What for?"

"They haven't seen you yet," he explained. "So I want to tell them that you're here. If you stand right here they can see you and it'll be a big surprise."

"Won't they be surprised anyway?"

"Well yeah but where's the fun in you just walking up and saying, 'Hi!'?"

"Worked with you didn't it?" Kagome huffed, then crossed her arms over her chest and looked away as if annoyed. She quickly turned back and winked, a clear sign that she would go along with his plan.

"Thanks Kagome," Shippou chirped quickly, then kissed her cheek and dashed off toward the others. Kagome giggled softly and realized that he was still every bit the small cub that she remembered. 'Maybe it's not so bad that he's grown up,' she said to herself. 'Maybe he has a girlfriend now. Aw, how cute would that be!'

"Not very cute at all, if you ask me."

"Well I'm not asking you," Kagome answered as Sesshoumaru landed beside her. "And how many times do I have to tell you about sneaking around my head?"

"This Sesshoumaru does not 'sneak'," Sesshoumaru quipped dryly. "I merely caught your stray thought as I arrived. The fact that you cannot keep control of it is not my fault."

"Gah, you're so frustrating!" Kagome growled out between gritted teeth. Her hands balled at her sides, but her anger and Sesshoumaru's arrogance was quickly forgotten as soon as she heard someone shriek her name. She froze instantly, nervousness and anxiety wiped away everything else as the others ran toward them. 'Oh boy,' she said to herself as soon as she could see Sango's overjoyed face. 'Here goes nothing. What are they going to say?' She jumped when something enclosed her wrist, the soft downy fur familiar but unexpected. She gave Sesshoumaru a questioning look, which he answered with a blank one of his own. She smiled and nodded, understanding without words that, though he wished to give her some support, he didn't want it known to the world. She gave his tail a covert pat and relaxed, straightened her back and smiled as everyone finally arrived.

Shippou balked in surprise from his place behind the others, his mouth gaping in shock before it snapped closed again. He figured Sesshoumaru survived and made it back (after all, Kagome told him so) but he hadn't actually expected to **see** the older inu brother until later, much later in the day. To see him standing there, and dressed as funny as Kagome, was more of a shock than his mind could keep up with. After all, it wasn't everyday one saw Sesshoumaru dressed in the forest greens, creamy whites and pastel yellows of ancient holy men.

'That's got to be a sacrilege,' Shippou quipped to himself, then winced in sympathy when Sango got over her surprise and engulfed Kagome in a bone-crushing hug. Kagome hugged her back as best she could with her breath taken aback and her right hand still restricted by Sesshoumaru's tail. She assured Sango of her well-being while the others chattered around her.

"How's my girl doin'?" Kouga called out as he pushed his way through the crowd toward her. "Woah, don't you look hot!" he whistled in approval as he drank in the sight of her. "I always knew you'd look good in shorts, but I didn't think you'd look **that** good!"

"That's not funny Kouga!" Souten and Sango reprimanded with a stern rap to the back of his head. "What's Ami going to say when she finds out!"

"Ami's not going to find out," Kouga griped in his defense. "Besides, Kagome was always my girl in the first place."

"You're so full of it Kouga," Souten shot back in disapproval. Kouga frowned when everyone else agreed and walked away, his hands in his pockets and his tail swishing coolly from side to side. Souten and Sango shook their heads; then introduced Souten to Kagome and Sesshoumaru. Kagome noticed the secretive, almost shy glances between her kitsune brother and the thunder elemental and grinned.

'See,' she sent to Sesshoumaru with a happy smirk. 'He does have a girlfriend, and it is cute.'

'Please, refrain from pretending that I care,' he sent back in the same dry monotone he was using as he spoke with Miroku. She sent a mental picture of her sticking her tongue out at him and dismissed it while Inuyasha walked up to her, his hands fidgeting with the handle of his gunblade and the ammo pack strapped to his left leg.

"Hey, um," he began with a nervous scratch behind his ears. "How ya doin'?"

"I'm doing great Inuyasha," Kagome replied, her voice soft and just as nervous. Everyone moved closer to them and stopped to watch their exchange; everyone but Sesshoumaru who remained where he was behind Kagome. "Sesshoumaru took really great care of me. He was super cool."

"Oh, that's good then" Inuyasha growled lightly. "If he hadn't I'd have had to kick the bastard's ass."

"Inuyasha!" Kagome gasped in disbelief as an answering growl came from Sesshoumaru. "Are you serious! We just _got_ here and already you guys want to fight! Can't it **_wait_**!"

"Feh," Inuyasha replied with a brush of his hand. "I don't care either way. Jeez, don't get your panties in a bunch. Hey, um…about that fight we had…"

"What fight?" Kagome asked, her brows knit together in confusion while Sango and Miroku smirked beside her. "I don't remember a fight."

"Yeah well uh, I said some stuff and…well I'm sorry! There, I said it."

"Well OK," Kagome replied back as he stormed away, then turned back and glanced at the others. "What was that about?" she asked. Miroku shrugged in answer, but Sango ran off to catch up with Inuyasha. Shippou and Souten excused themselves then quickly pulled out the remains of one of their walkie-talkies and attempted to fix it.

"Well, that went well," Kagome breathed as Sesshoumaru's tail slowly unwound from her arm. "Don't you think?"

"As well as can be expected," Sesshoumaru answered, then turned as a whirling sound approached them. "Someone is coming."

Kagome looked up at him, then turned and watched as a small blue car drove toward them. Shippou and the others noticed it as well and soon the entire team, including Kouga and Sango, were standing ready to greet whatever awaited them inside the car. They breathed collective sighs of relief when Headmaster Leonheart stepped out, his dark steel eyes critical and searching before he caught sight of Kagome and Sesshoumaru. "Where'd you find the praetor and the summoner? Are they warriors of Galbadia?"

"No, of course not," Kagome said before anyone else could speak up. "It's us Headmaster. Kagome and Sesshoumaru."

"Oh. OHHhhhhh," the headmaster sighed when he finally understood. "What an interesting place to find you two. How long have you been here?"

"Only a few hours," Sesshoumaru answered while he unbuttoned the top button of his jacket. "Things must be going well, right sir?"

"Um, yes of course," Headmaster Leonheart replied once he remembered himself. "As of right now, the red alert on Esthar has been expired."

"What!" shouted the others while Sesshoumaru and Kagome exchanged looks of confusion. "What do you mean expired headmaster?" Shippou demanded. "That's not possible-unless-"

"That's right," Headmaster Leonheart nodded. "All of New Galbadia's troops retreated thirty minutes ago."

"Why?" Sango wondered aloud. "Don't tell me they did all this just for the heck of it?"

"I know," Souten agreed. "This just isn't like them. What do you guys think is going on?"

"I don't know but I don't like it," Miroku replied and the others agreed. Headmaster Leonheart sighed heavily, the weight of the world bearing down on his shoulders, and shrugged. "Well there's nothing we can do about it now," he said as an armored truck parked on the other side of his car. "New Galbadia's gone, so I've issued the switch from search and protect to cleanup and first aid. Anyone with any medical expertise should report to the Presidential Palace. Everyone else should go to the central gate for new assignments." The group agreed to follow the headmaster's instructions and waved when he drove away.

"So I guess the truck's for us," Inuyasha determined as he opened the driver's side door. The cab was empty, suggesting that it had been programmed to find them and drive to the center of the city."

"Ah, technology," Shippou said as he opened the back passenger door and jumped inside. "There's nothing like it-"

"Hey, don't start that," Sango laughed as she followed behind him. "I don't want to hear about how technology will soon make everything obsolete and all that crap. Let you tell it, we won't need mothers and fathers either."

Kagome stopped, her eyes widened and her fingertips flying to her lips in horror. "I totally forgot," she whispered, then turned on her heels and ran back toward the innards of the city. The others turned around in shock and she disappeared despite the cries of the others.

"Now what the hell was that about," Inuyasha snarled angrily. "And where the hell did Sesshoumaru go!"

(-)

'I can't believe it,' Kagome scolded herself as she jumped the few inches from the steel catwalk to the fiberglass walkway. 'What's wrong with me? I can't believe I forgot to check on Souta! He's got to be scared out of his mind in the middle of all of this.' She ran past the shopping center toward another lesser pathway, this one leading deeper into the far end of the residential sector of the city. Kagome turned onto her family's street and gaped in horror at the destruction around her.

The enormous brick building (the only building made of a natural element in the entire city) protruded defiantly among the twisted mass of metal, glass and plastic that once was the other buildings around it. The other buildings weren't designed to handle the destruction and mayhem of a full scale Galbadian assault so they crumbled and fell with the first wave of attack. All eighteen floors of the brownstone stood tall and strong in the middle of the havoc, with the only outer visible damage being a massive hole where the front entrance and a beautiful carved mahogany door once stood.

Kagome ventured inside cautiously, her gaze heavenward as she stepped over steel beams and loose bricks. "Hello," she called up to the rafters and blue sky above her. "Is anyone there? Hello?" She strained her ears to hear the faintest cry, the smallest whimper, and sighed in disappointment when no one answered her. She walked through the shattered front lobby, her childhood memories of the area leading her toward an elevator hallway. She found the elevator to be blocked off by a large chunk of collapsed roof and groaned. She braced herself underneath the heavy slab and pushed, her face turning red from the exertion. She stopped, wiped the sweat from her brow and pushed again, then finally stopped and gave up.

"Great," she groaned as she stepped back and gazed up at the eighteen flights of stairs that awaited her. "No way am I going to be able to get up there quickly. Even a Float spell would be useless. Oh well. Can't help it though. May as well get started." She grasped the polished brass pole and started her ascent, blue-green eyes determined and grave. Kagome gasped at a sudden tingling at the back of her neck, her back going ramrod straight as she turned around. A single pinpoint of light came fluttering into the ruined entrance. The light wavered from one side, then the other before zipping toward her. It hovered above her face with the innocence of a curious firefly, then drifted to stand on the stairs landing above her before changing form. The golden light finally dimmed and died out, leaving Sesshoumaru to stand in its place.

"What are you doing here?" Kagome asked as he descended the stairs toward her.

"I could ask you the same," he answered dryly, his quirked eyebrow the only sign of his annoyance at her behavior. "Then again, maybe it is human nature to suddenly disappear without a word."

"Look, I don't have time for this," Kagome said when he finally stood in front of her. "I've got something I have to check on, so-"

"Your family, is it not?"

"Wha?"

A quiet sigh escaped her normally frigid companion before he spoke again. "You are trying to reach your family, are you not? They live in one of the apartments, correct?"

"Uh-huh," Kagome nodded. "I'm almost there now."

"Really." He glanced above them and mentally counted the floors. "Which floor?"

"The seventeenth."

"The seventeenth?" he repeated, his gaze turning from the stairway to her when Kagome began biting her bottom lip. "And just how do you expect to reach it? It seems as if a large chunk is missing from the stairway leading from the eight to the ninth floor."

"Oh boy are you serious!" Kagome exclaimed, then moaned and sat down on the step. "How am I going to get up there now?"

Sesshoumaru stood by and watched her wallow in self-pity and grief for a few minutes, then frowned when she made no further attempts to move. He stepped down in front of her and waited until she looked up at him to frown again. Kagome shuddered involuntarily, the frost and cold arctic wind oozing from his stare enough to chill her to the core. "Um, what's u-"

"You are exasperating," Sesshoumaru growled before reaching down and grabbing her by the upper arm. Kagome yelped in surprise when he jerked her to her feet and was preparing to berate him for nearly pulling her arm out of joint. He placed an arm around her knees, another around her shoulders and picked her up, then rocketed toward the upper floors before she could take a breath. Kagome held on to the front of his jacket and watched as the floors below her practically disappeared before he landed on the seventeenth floor.

He set down softly, his landing little more than a quiet whisper on the hardwood floor. Kagome stared at him long after he put her down, her eyes somehow riveted to him as Sesshoumaru took a casual glance around the hallway.

"Which one?"

"Say huh?" Kagome asked when she finally came out of her stupor.

"Which. One?"

"Oh, which door? Yeah." Kagome giggled nervously and glanced around, then pointed toward a door on the opposite side of the railway. "Over there. Number 7-D." Sesshoumaru started off without a word, leaving Kagome to trail behind him in confusion. She couldn't understand him sometimes, that she admitted readily, but this time she was truly, **truly** baffled. Of all the times he ever carried her, this was the one and only time she'd ever been close to him. Every time before had always been in his tail and always with her as far away from him as possible. She remembered the seriousness in his eyes as he flew past the floors below them and how, without her asking, he simply **volunteered **to help her.

She hated to admit it, even more so since she hated the 'damsel in distress' stereotype, that it felt..._good_ to have help, especially his and especially now.

They stopped in front of her parents' apartment, both noting with no small amount of relief the lack of damage done to the entrance door. "Um, Sesshoumaru," Kagome said as the youkai studied the door. "I just want to um...er...what I want to say is-"

"I assume you do not have a key," Sesshoumaru interrupted suddenly. He 'hm' softly at her nod, then used his poison to melt the door hinges. He pulled the door free of the threshold and set it aside with one hand, then glanced around the inside of the dark apartment before stepping to the side. "Go ahead."

Kagome unsheathed her gunblade and walked inside. She stopped momentarily so her eyes could adjust to the lack of light, then made her way through the house with Sesshoumaru not far behind her. She peered into the kitchen first, then the living room before moving further down the hallway toward the rest of the apartment. They entered the bathroom and found it empty too. Kagome was beginning to feel as if the apartment were empty when Sesshoumaru turned and stepped back into the hallway.

"What is it?" Kagome whispered as Sesshoumaru began to move down the hall toward the bedrooms. "What did you hear?" He silenced her with a finger to his lips, then gestured toward a closed bedroom door. She nodded in understanding then stepped back when he kicked in the door.

The first thing she noticed was the room, her old room, still in the condition she left it in when she left for the Garden all those many years ago. The room was still decorated in white frills and lace with her various stuffed animals piled high on the foot of the bed. Kagome smiled as she remembered clamoring underneath the blankets and sheets but not before grabbing one of her favorite toys. She reached out to touch the fur-trimmed ear of a nearby giraffe but stopped when Sesshoumaru placed a hand on her shoulder. Turquoise eyes were misty and cloudy when she finally looked up at him, her gaze confused and lost and the warmth she received from him was just as unexpected and equally as confusing.

"I understand your nostalgia," he murmured gently. "I...cannot blame you for it, but I need for you to be with me right now." He glanced toward the nearby closet, then back at here to make sure she understood. Kagome nodded, shook the fog from her mind and stepped away from the bear towards the closet. She glanced over her shoulder at Sesshoumaru, who silently counted to three before throwing the door open.

Kagome gasped, tears welling in her eyes as Junsei slipped from her hands to the plush carpet. "Mom, Dad? Souta?"

The closet's occupants were huddled together, Kagome's father shielding Souta and her mom from whatever danger had thrown open the closet. Mr. Higurashi opened his eyes at Kagome's voice, his disbelief narrowing his eyes before they connected with his beloved daughter. "K-kagome?" The others glanced up in shock as Mr. Higurashi stood, his hands reaching out to touch her before pulling away. "Kagome, is it really you?"

Kagome couldn't speak past the sudden lump in her throat. All the years of denying her parents, of ignoring them and refusing to speak to them crashed down on her. All of the hurt she'd scurried away when they sent her to the Garden all those years ago disappeared the moment he reached out for her. She nodded enthusiastically and launched herself into his open and waiting arms.

Sesshoumaru stepped back and away from the reunion to give Kagome and her family some much needed catch-up time. He stood with his back against the wall with Junsei held loosely in his hand. He weighed the blade, his ears twitching slightly at the sniffs and quiet conversation, and wondered to himself how his own father was faring. He never fully understood Kagome's reasons for ignoring her parents but figured it to be none of his business. As far as he was aware, humans were like inu and ookami youkai in the sense of the need for contact from others. Inu and ookami youkai tended to reconnect with their pack whenever they could, but humans always seemed to have the ability to ignore that instinct to the point of pain. 'Perhaps next time she will not be as fooli-'

"Sesshoumaru?"

"Yes?" he answered as he glanced down at her. Kagome fiddled with her hands, her head down and embarrassment radiating from her petite frame as he waited for her to finish.

"Do-I mean should we evacuate them? To another place I mean. Someplace safer than here?"

"No." Sesshoumaru shook his head and stood away from the wall. "Here is safer as there is still electricity. The shelters will be full to overflowing."

"But Sesshoumaru, you did kind of rip the door down."

Sesshoumaru sighed in mild annoyance, having forgotten that little bit of information. "Then I will see to it that someone comes to stand guard."

Kagome shook her head. "No way would the Headmaster approve of th-"

"He does not have to. There are a few of my father's people that will come."

"You-" Kagome stammered weakly, her eyes raising to meet his for the first time since the conversation began. "You would do that...for me?"

"I do not see what the 'big deal' is," Sesshoumaru told her before reaching for a nearby phone. "Father keeps a few youkai stationed in almost every country. I'm sure the ones here would not mind, not that it would matter if they did. Anyone in need of medical assistance?"

"Um, no," Kagome replied. "Dad had a scratch on his neck but I managed to heal it. Sesshoumaru?"

He peered over his shoulder at her, his fingers stopping mid-dial. "Yes?"

"Thank you."

"Hm," was his reply before he turned around. Kagome stood dumbfounded at his suddenly cold behavior then shrugged and returned to her family, completely unaware of the tiny bit of fondness in Sesshoumaru's eyes before he looked away.

(End Chapter)

SF: See, when I come back I try to come back with some style.

Inu-chan: hey, at least you **are** back! People are tired of waiting you know!

SF: I know. I'm so sorry for being away for so long. I've had a LOT of things to get over this past year. It's been...interesting. Um, what do I normally do you guys? I totally forget.

Kagome: Well, you normally introduce the next chapter.

SF: Oh yeah! That is right! And its...Shippou's turn! Get to work kit!

Shippou: (sigh) Kagome's back at everything's better than ever! She's so different, but still the same at the same time. It's hard to believe that she's ever been away. Still, not everything's going so great. Things change before they stay the same and Deling's up to his old tricks again. This time he strikes at the heart of our group and before we know it, someone we really love it taken away from us.

Next chapter: Chapter Eighteen-She Weeps!


	18. She Weeps

Disclaimer: No, I don't own it. If I did the series wouldn't end the way it does. I swear, I think some people live just to frustrate other people. Its not fair. Oh, and don't forget to read the author's notes at the bottom. Oh, and thanks for being so patient with me when it came time for me to update. I'm dealing with a weird computer who changes it's settings in the middle of the night to spite me. One of these days I'm going to wake up with a note sitting on my desk and no computer.

Chapter Eighteen: She Weeps

"Woah Shippou woah," Kagome said as they walked down the hallway toward the dorms. "Slow down why don't you? You know I can never understand you when you talk fast. What are you asking me again?"

"Well," Shippou began, this time slower than before. "I was wondering if you wanted to hang out later on tonight."

"How late? And what time is it now?"

"Eh..." Shippou glanced at his watch. "It's 8:20 now. Come on Kagome. You used to love going to the hangout with m-us! Can't you come?"

"I'm sorry Shippou, but I can't. I'm totally beat and the last thing I want to do right now is fight the fiends in the training facility. Thanks though." Shippou sighed in disappointment as she ran toward her room. "Oh well," he shrugged and made his way down the hallway. "She's...still tired I guess. I'll try again tomorrow."

Kagome rushed into her room, slipped inside, closed the door and slid down it's surface to the carpet. "Oh man, I can't believe I just blew Shippou off like that," Kagome groaned to herself. "Man, I feel so awful. I'll have to make it up to him tomorrow."

She pulled herself together, stood up and wiped a tired hand over her face. The irritation and anger she felt building all day was finally surfaced and she growled to herself before stomping to her dresser and snatching things out of the drawers. 'I just can't believe him!' she finally snapped as she slammed one of the drawers closed with a **bang**! 'Two weeks and he still hasn't managed to bring his arrogant...snoody...grrr!' She huffed in frustration and tossed out a pair of white cotton Garden-issue pyjama pants and a matching tank top with Balamb Garden's insignia on the front.

Headmaster Leonheart had informed the staff and student body of the missing SeeDs return and somehow managed to complete a thrown together, but well meant, welcome back party for the pair. Sesshoumaru brushed aside the various greetings and well wishes but Kagome practically wallowed in the attention, and enjoyed the party as much as she could while managing to pull the reluctant youkai along behind her.

The party was short lived and the next three days found Kagome filling out what felt to her like miles and miles of paperwork. That didn't include the 10 hours of debriefing, each spread out over the three days. Sesshoumaru had yet to reappear and it was two weeks later. Kagome, having figured that Sesshoumaru had re-nig'ed on his promise, was more than a little upset to say the least.

'I mean, he promised,' she fumed as she angrily flipped on the shower. 'He **_promised_** and he just forgot! Maybe he didn't forget! Maybe he never meant to remember...' That thought saddened her and her shoulders slumped in disappointment. "Maybe he didn't want to remember..." She shed her clothes and stepped into the shower, the steam soothing her nerves as the warm water tried to wash her frustration down the drain. She loved the jasmine scented shower gel and it normally made her feel better but today the magic potion seemed to have lost it's touch. 'That jerk,' Kagome sniffed before mentally shaking herself.

'What am I talking about?' Kagome asked herself as she stepped out of the shower and dried herself off. 'If he doesn't want to be with me-I mean, be my friend, then fine! I-I'll just hang out with the others! Get to know Souten and hook her and Shippou together! I was meaning to do that anyway!' She angrily wrapped a fluffy white towel around herself and gave her hair a quick rubbing with another towel before dropping it into a nearby linen basket.

'Besides, let Sesshoumaru be a stuck up jerk! His life will just be boring from now on! Boy, don't I feel sorry for him!' She flounced out of the bathroom into her bedroom, her eyes closed in finality as she reached toward her bed for her clothes.

"Are you upset about something?"

Kagome shrieked in fright, her blue-green eyes flying open with her right hand fisted into the towel to keep it closed. Her eyes narrowed angrily while Sesshoumaru laughed at her from his seat on her bed. He waited for her to collect herself before holding up her pyjamas and shaking his head. "Really Kagome, such violent thoughts? And about a me? I'm ashamed of you. And here I thought we were friends?"

"You're not funny you pompous jerk!" Kagome shouted as she threw her bottle of shower gel at him. He caught it easily and set it on her nightstand. "And just how did you get in here anyway! Don't you know how to knock?"

"How I managed to gain entry is none of your concern," Sesshoumaru replied with a casual glance at his claws. "You need not be worried about anyone else being able to."

"You-you...grrr! You get on my last nerve Sesshoumaru," Kagome sighed in aggravation. "Just what have you been doing for the past two weeks huh! You promised and-"

"And I did not forget." He stood up and approached her, her heated and angry gaze nothing to him as he reached for her hand. He frowned slightly when she jerked away from him and turned her back, her arms folded over her chest and her eyes closed in an attempt to shut him out. "Your anger is unnecessary. I did not come to see you because I **could not **come to see you. I have been in interrogation."

"This entire time?" Kagome asked incredulously. He nodded and she gasped in disbelief. "Sesshoumaru, not this **entire time**! You've been in debriefing for two weeks!"

"I did not say debriefing now did I?" Sesshoumaru growled irritably. He leaned against the edge of Kagome's desk and watched as she began to pace around the room.

"Why would they interrogate you?" she asked and barreled on before she could get an answer. "Why didn't they do the same with me? What did they think you were hiding and-"

"Kagome, would you stop?" Sesshoumaru interrupted with a raised hand. "You're not going to obtain a single answer if you continue in this manner."

"Well excuse me," Kagome snipped angrily. "It's kinda shocking to hear that your friend's been _interrogated_ for two straight weeks!"

"I am fine," Sesshoumaru added as an afterthought. "And it was a necessity."

"I just don't get it," Kagome replied as she leaned against the desk beside him. "Why didn't they do the same to me?"

"You are thinking that something violent happened. Look at me. Am I injured in any way?"

Kagome gave him what she hoped he would think was a quick glance over. She scrutinized every inch of his 7' even frame and frowned. She couldn't see anything unusual or disturbing but figured that the worst would be hidden beneath the folds of his SeeD uniform. He smirked at the thought and moved from the desk to stand in front of her.

"Would you like for me to undress?" he asked and grasped the high collar of his uniform jacket. "That way you would be absolute with your search."

"No, that's ok," Kagome said quickly, her head turned and her eyes averted in embarrassment. A light blush stained her cheek and she clutched her towel closer to her body. "If you say you're fine then you're fine."

"Of course."

"That still doesn't answer my question," she said and frowned when she found Sesshoumaru staring at her. "What?"

"Nothing," Sesshoumaru answered with a shake of her head. "They kept me from sleeping, that is all."

"Yeah?" Kagome asked, unable to keep the worry and doubt from her voice. Sesshoumaru nodded. "Yes. Now as for why you were treated differently-"

"Yeah, why was that?" Kagome interrupted violently. "I mean, its not like we were in separate places and-"

"You were not treated the same because you are human," Sesshoumaru finally spit out. "I have certain abilities, thus the Garden staff and SeeD officials felt it necessary to be certain of my truthfulness. They also had to make sure I did not use some sort of influence to convince you to lie."

"Oh," Kagome replied thoughtfully, the previous anger and concerned wiped from her face but not her mind. It made her mad to think that a group as civilized as the Garden staff would think to torture someone so hearing that they hadn't done anything extreme was a sort of comfort. She was plenty pissed about the idea that they thought Sesshoumaru would lie to them, but that was something she felt she would have to get over. "So, what'd you tell them?"

"What did you say to them?" Sesshoumaru repeated curiously. Kagome gave an aggravated sigh, knowing after four months in each other's company that chivalry was a foreign notion to him and that he fully expected to be answered first.

"I told them about the attack on the Ragnorok and how we tried to fight them off before we evacuated. I told them I was injured and I told them about the Emergency Shelter."

"That's a all?"

Kagome nodded. "That's it. What about you?"

"I said just about the same thing. They asked about the technology in the facility and we spoke of ART-"

"You told them about ART!" Kagome gasped in shock. "How could you?"

"How could I what?" Sesshoumaru countered cooly. "I have no loyalties to the simulation, nor should you after your last encounter."

"Yeah well," Kagome stammered indignantly. "I just thought that, you know-don't you think that was a bad idea?"

"No, not really."

"But what if the Garden decides to try to go down there and dissect ART?"

"Then they would be doing this Sesshoumaru a service," Sesshoumaru remarked dryly. "Kagome, ART is only a computer program. Despite your attachments to him, he can feel no pain nor does he have emotions. He is naught but a tiny green light and a couple of circuits."

"But...I promised..." Kagome whispered sadly with her head lowered and the fingers of her free hand fisted at her side. Sesshoumaru reached for her fist and gently spread her fingers apart, one by one, until her open palm was facing him.

"You kept that promise," Sesshoumaru assured her and gently tugged on her hand to get her attention. "If you promised not to say anything then your honor is intact. I, however, promised nothing."

"So what else did you say?" Kagome snapped and jerked her hand from his grasp. "Did you tell them about me too? Should I expect them to come barreling through the door at any moment and cart me away? Or do I have time to make a break for it first?"

"Now that was unnecessary," Sesshoumaru growled defensively. He grasped her hand agin and tugged, this time a little rougher than previously, and caught her when she came stumbling toward him. "I told them nothing about you," he assured her. One hand lightly combed through the damp onyx waves of her hair while the other held her against him by the back of her towel. "So you do not have to worry. I am still trustworthy."

"Yeah, I know," Kagome relented with a sigh. "I'm sorry Sesshoumaru." She rested her head on his chest and was rewarded with his hand, warm and large, gently rubbing between her shoulders. She yawned and clutched the rough material of his jacket, her eyes slipping closed as she relaxed in his arms. Sesshoumaru watched her for a few moments, then rested his chin on the top of her head and stared at the rest of the room. No, he had not told them about Kagome's special gift but it was more for himself than for her sake.

Kagome's abilities had their uses, but the girl herself was too fragile for the intent the SeeD organization would have for her if they were to find out. Her summoning ability was an applicable use but her purification would set the world by storm. The human activist that believed youkai were of the devil would attempt to kidnap her or sway her to their side so she would assist in youkai destruction, and the youkai community would demand her put under lock and key for their safety. Her days of freedom would be numbered and there wouldn't be anything he could have done about it. Kagome's ability could be used, would be used, but only by himself. His influence would be enough for her to use her skills discretely and without the Garden being any wiser.

Besides, the idea of the tests they would perform on her bothered Sesshoumaru to an unknown degree and the thought of it brought a silent growl rippling through his mind.

Kagome's small gasp brought him out of his thoughts and he looked down when she leaned back and away from him. "Oh no," she groaned as she wiped at a damp spot on the front of his uniform. "I'm sorry Sesshoumaru. I messed up your uniform. Hey, let me get a towel and dry that off." She moved to step back and frowned when he tightened his hold on her, his arms becoming thick bands of steel. He glanced down at her with a heated glare and pressed his lips to hers before Kagome could think to protest. His approach was smoother and softer than last time, with more patience in his intent. Kagome kissed him back self-consciously, her nervousness quickly abashed when he purred in approval.

Sesshoumaru pulled back at her whimper, her need to breathe far outweighing his desire to continue as she struggled to catch her breath. "Why do you do that?" she asked between puffs of air.

"Do what?" he asked, his grave voice gravely and strained as he pressed his forehead to hers and tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear.

"You know what," Kagome glared up at him but found that she wasn't as angry as she thought she was. She liked kissing Sesshoumaru, liked being in touch with that flame that burned so covertly within him and though she would have appreciated an explanation she knew that she wouldn't mind if he never gave one. "How would you like it if I just walked up to you and did what I wanted to do with parts of you?"

"Is that a promise?"

"Pervert," she complained goodnaturedly. She surprised him by kissing him back, her approach still shy but well meaning and sweet. Sesshoumaru accepted her kiss readily and encouraged her wholeheartedly. His hand fisted in soft material clinging to her side and through a struggle of wills he refrained his hands from wandering any farther south.

"I'll never understand you," Kagome muttered against his shoulder when they finally broke apart. Sesshoumaru chuckled slightly, his fingers continuing to thread through her hair as she snuggled against him.

"Here." Kagome stepped back and stared at the lump of clothes in his hands, her gaze questioning and confused as he gestured for her to take it. "These belong to you, correct?"

"Um, yeah," Kagome nodded as she took her forgotten pyjamas.

"Then get dressed." He turned her around and gave her a playful nudge toward the bathroom.

"Are you going to be here when I come out?" she turned back and asked hopefully. Sesshoumaru nodded and sat down at the foot of her bed. "I will, but only if you hurry. The night is nearly over and there is much we have to 'discuss'. I do not wish to do so with you dressed as you are." He smirked when she jerked around and slammed the bathroom door, his youkai hearing unnecessary as she mumbled various curses against his person. He chuckled aloud when she growled in frustration and was more than pleased with himself as he looked forward to the night ahead.

The light pitter-patter of raindrops thumped softly against the glass of Kagome's window, the sun itself secreted away by dark clouds of cottony gray. The heavy scent of water drifted in from the window's small opening and the thick dark blue curtains puffed out slightly from the breeze. Kagome lay curled around her oversized pillow, a happy smile on her face as she sighed and snuggled closer to the pillow's fluffy softness. Her bare feet were tucked underneath the blue patchwork quilt she brought back from the Emergency Shelter and her braided hair was draped over her shoulder to pool on the bed like coiled rope. Sesshoumaru was stretched across the foot of her bed with his head hanging off the side, his silvery hair flowing over the side to stream along the floor. His uniform jacket was draped on the back of Kagome's desk chair and his shoes were parked neatly underneath it. One of Kagome's spare blankets was tossed over his chest and the tip of his tail twitched slightly from underneath it. The scent of rain woke them both from their heavy slumber with Sesshoumaru the first to open his eyes.

He watched from his upside down view of the world as Kagome's feet slid from the bed to the dark carpet. Her heartbeat hovered between the dream and waking world and he knew without looking that her eyes had yet to open. She slid from her bed on feet ill-prepared to catch her and landed with a thump on the floor. The small "ooh!" that escaped her lips was less surprised and more annoyed, giving Sesshoumaru the impression that this was a regular morning ritual while she braced herself on all fours and pushed herself to her feet. She wavered slightly, then held strong (with her eyes still closed) and stumbled toward her bathroom. Kagome pushed the door open and disappeared behind it with a bang that, if Sesshoumaru were still asleep, would have awoken him with a start.

The sound of water came next and continued for more than a few minutes as Sesshoumaru waited. He closed his eyes and yawned as she shuffled around, her steps becoming more stable and sure as the minutes ticked by. He watched her shadow move through the tiny crack at the bottom of the door and relaxed again as sleep slowly began to reclaim him.

His ears twitched when the bathroom door opened, but he never looked up when her weight settled beside him. The scent of water and mint clung slightly to her natural lilac and he remained still as her eyes bore into him.

"Sesshoumaru..." Kagome called softly, her voice slightly deep and relaxed from her rest. "Hey Sesshoumaru, can you hear me?" She reached over to poke him in the side, then thought better of it as she brought her hand back to her lap. Last night had been totally unexpected and, despite it's intense beginnings, actually settled into a quiet evening between them. They spent the time talking about their pasts, and Kagome discovered lots of things about the soon to be tai that she never expected. Sesshoumaru explained to her the basics of youkai politics and she learned that, unlike human kings and emperors, taiyoukai actually retired after a certain amount of years then became advisors to the new tai. Since youkai lived hundreds of years longer than humans, new tai could afford to wait until their turns to rule. Sesshoumaru's father had postponed his retirement until Sesshoumaru finished his SeeD career but was set to hand over the western region, and his role of ambassador, to Sesshoumaru at a moment's notice.

)-(

"It is not something I am particularly looking forward to," Sesshoumaru told her from his position beside her. "And yet, I know that I have little choice but to accept it." He grimaced slightly and Kagome laughed, her hand covering her mouth slightly as he frowned at her. "I am glad you find my suffering amusing."

"I'm sorry," Kagome breathed through her giggles. "But you **really** don't look happy right now. I've never seen any emotion cross your face so it's kinda strange to see so many at one time." She laughed again when he 'feh'ed in disapproval. "Ok, I'll stop," she finally said when his frowned deepened. "Sesshoumaru, when do you plan to-"

"To quit?" Sesshoumaru finished for her. "To take up where Father left off? I'm not sure." He thought about it for a moment, his fingertip lightly tracing the lines in the palm of her hand as his brow furrowed slightly. "I believe I'll take over when something more important comes up. Something that would make me want to give up my life as a SeeD." He thought about it some more and Kagome watched as a look of finality, of decision, darkened his eyes.

"There would have to be something I wanted to protect and something that I would need the power of tai to do so."

)-(

Kagome couldn't help the warm feelings she woke up with when she noticed his aura still in the room. It distracted her so that she didn't get as angry when she met the familiar floor when she woke up. 'One of these days I'm going to stop long enough to actually allow my body to wake up,' she griped to herself as she reconsidered poking the silent youkai. 'I wonder if he'll get mad if I do it. Shippou had weird reactions to me poking him. Then again, this is Sesshoumaru. He might not even feel it. I might need to punch him instead.'

"Such violence is not necessary, especially this early in the morning."

Kagome shrieked and jolted like a startled cat. Sesshoumaru sat up quickly, his hands going to her waist to steady her as he moved his sensitive lower parts out of reach of her knees. She blushed in embarrassment while she calmed down, then angrily swatted his shoulder when he smirked down at her. "You jerk!" she cried as she hit him again. "You could have told someone that you were awake, instead of faking sleep!"

"I cannot imagine how you reasoned I was still asleep with all of the noise you make. How your Shippou stood it when he roomed with you is beyond me." He caught her hand as she tried to hit him again and pressed his thumb in the center of her palm, his smirk relaxing to a smile while she scowled at him. "What?" he asked innocently.

"You are such a butt," Kagome grumbled irritably. She settled beside him and fiddled with the edge of his tank top. "I swear, I don't know why I deal with you."

"I am entertaining," Sesshoumaru answered cooly. "And I make your life exciting. You're life would be boring without me."

"Yeah right," Kagome remarked with a smile, remembering when she thought the very same about him a few hours ago. "I need excitement like I need a hole in my head. Um, Sesshoumaru?"

"Why do you do that?"

"Do what?" Kagome asked at his annoyance. "What did I do now?"

"You hesitate before asking me something," Sesshoumaru answered her with a heavy sigh. "Do not do that. Just tell me what it is and I will see if I feel like doing it."

"Oh, so that's how it is huh?" Kagome griped and folded her arms across her chest. "You're so mean."

"Yes, so you've said. Now what did you wish to ask me?"

"Oh. Right. Well, I was kinda wondering..."

"Yes," Sesshoumaru urged when she hesitated yet again. "Wondering what?"

"What you were...planning on doing later on today? You don't have to tell me if you don't want to," Kagome said quickly as an odd look crossed his face. "I didn't mean to intru-"

"I am not sure about the rest of the day," Sesshoumaru interrupted to answer her question. "I considered staying in my room all day, but seeing as how I never made it to my room in the first place..." He smirked when she blushed again, this time turning her head so he couldn't see. "I might relax for the rest of the day. It is rare for me to receive a day off."

"Oh." Sesshoumaru frowned at the disappointment in her voice, her head still turned so he couldn't see whatever emotion flashed across her features. He sensed that this disappointment had something to do with what he said and it didn't take an airship engineer to realize that she wanted to hang out with him.

"Well, I could be persuaded out of my intended hibernation," Sesshoumaru proposed and was quickly rewarded with her smile. "What is it you have in mind?"

"Um...I don't know."

'Typical,' Sesshoumaru growled to himself as he patiently waited for her to think of something.

"Um...we could hang out here," Kagome suggested, then frowned and shook her head. "No, now that I think about it that's not a good idea. People could see you in here and start to wonder. I don't want people getting the wrong idea about us."

"What is the wrong idea about us?" Sesshoumaru inquired, curious to know what she thought about their relationship. Kagome's cheeks turned a faint pink and she looked away again. "We're just friends you know, but someone else might think something more if they saw you in here. I don't want you to end up fielding a lot of press because of me."

"Oh. I see." Her answer disappointed him slightly, but he couldn't understand why as Kagome continued to think. 'We are just friends after all,' he said to himself as his inner youkai growled at the thought. 'And yet, I thought she might have felt...differently.'

"Oh, I've got it!" Kagome exclaimed suddenly, and successfully jerked Sesshoumaru from his thoughts. "Why don't we go on a picnic!"

"On a picnic?" Sesshoumaru questioned with a smirk and a shake of his head. "It's raining out. It would not be a successful picnic."

"Rain here doesn't last for too long," Kagome replied knowingly. "This should be over in an hour or so. I could grab some extra grub from the cafeteria-"

"What joy," Sesshoumaru growled blandly. "Hot dogs and tuna club sandwiches."

"Stop that," Kagome reprimanded and shook her finger at him. "Like I was saying, I could grab some grub and we could go sit in the planes. No one would bother us there."

"No one but fiends you mean," Sesshoumaru countered. "And there is the fact that you want to sit in the baking desert after all. Not exactly a comfortable place to have one."

"Oh all right," Kagome huffed in aggravation. "I'll keep thinking." Sesshoumaru leaned back against the wall behind them as he waited, taking a moment to lightly scratch behind his right ear before her next suggestion.

"You're going to love this," she began with a mischievous smirk. "How about we go to Esthar?"

"Esthar?" Sesshoumaru contemplated it, then shook his head. "No. Have you forgotten that most of Esthar is in near ruins now? Not to mention your sudden need for privacy."

"No, and that's what makes it such a good idea!" She turned toward him, her blue-green eyes lit in excitement as she laid out her plan. "OK, check this out: We'll go to Esthar and just talk right? Meanwhile, the people will see us and see not two people but two SeeD officers. They'll think we're accessing the damages right-"

"This sounds a bit dishonest," he admitted. Kagome went quiet a moment, then nodded. "Well now that you put it that way you're right. OK, we'll look over a few areas. The main thing is that the people will see us and it'll make them feel good. They'll think I'm you're guide. Think about it Sesshoumaru. They'll think that I'm just another ensign assigned to guide the captain and future Galbadian ambassador around the city. It'll make the people feel secure and give us a chance to walk around without being noticed...well, not draw any unwanted attention anyway. Well, what do you think?"

"Hm...This would require us to dress the part," Sesshoumaru replied as an afterthought. "Are you willing to walk around in your uniform?"

"We wouldn't have to," Kagome answered, having previously thought of this problem. "We just have to dress kinda business-like, with your captain bars on your jacket or something. I'll need my pins and stuff and people will just go with it. Come on Sesshoumaru," she pleaded as she began to bounce on the bed beside him. "This will be fun! We'll get to talk, do a little survey of the damage and make a lot of people feel good at the same time. Plus, you'll impress the world with how responsible you are." Kagome rolled her eyes as he considered this and before long she had his nod of agreement.

"Yay!" she shouted as she jumped from the bed and danced a jig. "This is going to be so much fun! I can't wait to show you everything-"

"Everything that is not rubble at this point," Sesshoumaru reminded her. He instantly felt guilty when Kagome stopped dancing and became somber, tears welling in her eyes as she remembered. "But," he struggled to counter quickly. "I'm sure we'll be able to make something of this excursion. When would you like to begin?"

"Whenever you felt like it," Kagome answered with considerably less enthusiasm. Sesshoumaru grasped her wrist and gently tugged, slowly pulling her to him until she stood between his spread feet. He rubbed his thumb against her wrist and waited until she looked at him to speak.

"I will go to my room and dress. That shouldn't take more than thirty minutes. However, I know of the female way of spending extra time primping."

"I do not primp," Kagome laughed softly. "You know I don't."

"I know not what you do," Sesshoumaru smirked, pleased when the sparkle returned to her eyes. "I will give you an extra three hours to decide what to wear and prepare. Is that agreeable?"

"Yup," Kagome nodded. "Works for me."

"Good." He nudged her back and stood up, his tail shaking slightly behind him as he reached for his shoes and jacket. "I suggest you wear your gunblade as well. I'm sure that will ensure you some attention, since you are the only female specialist in the organization. I doubt anyone will notice me."

"You sound jealous," Kagome teased as he fastened the buttons on his jacket. "But then again, you should have known it would happen. I am beautiful you know." His "I know," caught her off guard and a furious blush rushed her face and neck before she laughed it off.

"You'd better be here Sesshoumaru," she told him as he made his way toward her door. "You can't be late. I mean it."

Sesshoumaru sighed in suffering and glanced at her clock. "It's 8:23 now. I will meet you in the garage at 11:30 sharp. This Sesshoumaru is never late. You little gunner, are normally tardy." Kagome opened her mouth to comment on his 'little gunner' obsession when he began to shrink before her eyes. A bright flash of light obscured her view of him before he disappeared completely and Kagome watched as a tiny golden ball of light hovered in the air above her. It twinkled around her head for a few seconds then zipped toward her door and slipped through the sliver of an opening between the door and the threshold.

"So that's how he got in here," Kagome mused with a slight chuckle. "That sneak. I'll make him pay for that." She set about her task, determined to find something professional and appropriate so she could be ready before Sesshoumaru. She searched her closet and dresser for what she would wear, then tossed everything on her bed before taking a quick shower. She took the time to blow dry her hair straight, using every product and tool Sango left in her top dresser drawer while she struggled to remember exactly what Sango said about how to round brush this and blow dry that. She dressed nearly as quickly and glanced at the clock when she was finished.

"Ha!" Kagome crowed triumphantly. "I knew I would get finished first! It's 10:03 on the dot!" She laughed in triumph and was crossing the room toward the door when her comphone rang. "Hey, it's home," she muttered to herself before picking up the phone.

"Hey Sou-oh, hi Mom," Kagome corrected herself. She was still a bit uneasy about talking to her parents but their relationship was beginning to gain better, more solid ground as the days wore on. "How's everything go-wait a minute," Kagome said as she sat down on her bed.

"Mom, I'm having real trouble understanding you. Why are you crying? Did something happen with Dad? Mom, what's wrong?" She froze as her mother finally choked out her message, the tears in her eyes and the lump in her throat constricting her words. The little pink phone fell from Kagome's hands unnoticed, Kagome's eyes round and empty as her mother's news echoed in her mind.

)-(

Sesshoumaru stood in front of the mirror in his quarters, a black elastic band spinning lazily around his index finger. He studied himself throughly, his gaze intense as he checked his attire. He wore a plain white dress shirt and a pair of dark jeans with a blue and yellow striped tie hanging untied around his neck. Sesshoumaru felt that this and the pair of dark oxfords on his feet weren't enough, so he rummaged around his closet until he found a navy blue blazer that was thick enough for how cool the temperature would be on their walk. He checked himself over again as he looped his belt through the loops of his pants, his gaze distant as his fingers methodically worked on.

'This will suit Kagome's plans I suppose,' Sesshoumaru reasoned absently. 'She is quite the deviser that one. If she is this excited about one little outing then it would promise to become an event should she ever decide to actually apply herself to something devilish.' He smiled to himself as he remembered the spark in her eyes, the happy little bounce in her step and the amusing little dance she performed for him once he agreed to her ideas. The only part he had not cared for in the past 24 hours was the way she deflated at his callous comment.

'_That was not an experience to be repeated,' _his inner youkai grumbled. _'You are not as sensitive as you should be toward our female._'

'She is not **our** female,' Sesshoumaru disagreed with a frown. 'She is a friend and little more. You heard so from her own lips.'

'_That is what she said but I do not believe her. You do not either. The female-'_

'Kagome," Sesshoumaru corrected without thinking. 'Her name is Kagome.'

'_Ahhh, well now,'_ his youkai laughed mockingly. '_You are quick to protect her. When did this develop?'_

'You are being asinine...again,' Sesshoumaru told his other half. 'You are the one that considers her ours. So should I not consider her protection to be one of our priorities?'

'_So she is under our protection is she?'_ his youkai laughed. _'The Great and_ _Mighty Taiyoukai has deemed himself the protector of a human has he? This is rich! I do so enjoy it when you remove the stick from your ass.'_

'If only there were some way to turn you off...' Sesshoumaru mused to himself. He lifted his guncase to his desk and flipped open the lid, the heavy casing knocking against the wall with a thump. He never questioned his decision about Kagome as he fastened his holster to his hip and placed shells in the available sleeves. He was bound and determined to keep Kagome out of harm's way. The Garden staff and anyone else would be handled as he saw fit. It was himself that he worried about. He would not allow his inner youkai to gain access to her, not with his other half so possessive over the little gunner. Kagome's power attracted it and her attitude kept it interested. She had stolen his youkai from him and he couldn't exactly make himself angry with her for it. She had listened to him, _truly_ listened to him last night and he could think of no other way to thank her than to ensure her safety.

'No one has ever paid such attention to this Sesshoumaru,' he thought quietly while he sat down at his desk and checked his weapon over. 'She did not pretend to listen, nor did she laugh at the things I consider embarrassing. She is a true confidant and I...trust her to keep my secrets.'

'_Like the fact that you wanted to be a traveling flutist before you became a SeeD?'_

Sesshoumaru growled in frustration, his annoyance cut short as someone began banging on his room door. He sniffed and growled as Inuyasha's familiar sandalwood wafted underneath his door. He thought to ignore him when the pounding began again, this time louder and more persistent than the first.

"Alright," he growled as he stood up and crossed his room to the door. "I'm coming. Cease that infernal-" He threw his door open and frowned as Shippou glared up at him. "What are you doing to my door Makayura?" Sesshoumaru inquired cooly while Inuyasha, Sango and Miroku peered from behind Shippou. "And what is going on?"

"Don't play stupid Sesshoumaru," Shippou growled back as he shoved his way past him to his room. Sesshoumaru growled in warning, his restraint barely contained and only because of how unhappy he knew Kagome would be if he were to properly 'discipline' her kitsune friend.

"I'll ask again, but only once more," Seshoumaru began, the promise of blood and brimstone brimming in his voice as he pinned Shippou with his amber stare. "What are you doing here and what is going on?"

"We were wondering," Sango finally said while Shippou and Sesshoumaru glared daggers at one another. "Have you seen Kagome lately?"

"And don't lie about it either!" Shippou heatedly snapped. "I could still catch your scent in her room."

"I had no intention on lying," Sesshoumaru replied coldly. "I was there, but it was earlier in the day. As you can see, Kagome is not here. What is the trouble?" Sesshoumaru asked as worry replaced the curious glances on the group's faces.

"We went to her room and she wasn't there. It's a real mess Sesshoumaru," Inuyasha said as he leaned against Sesshoumaru's doorway. "You'd have to see it to believe it."

"Then lead the way," Sesshoumaru said as he grabbed his wallet from his top dresser drawer. Everyone left the room immediately, Sesshoumaru's curiosity slowly ebbing away to concern as Shippou fidgeted and growled behind him. The sound and the constant shifting of Shippou's aura angered the beast in him and once again he found himself restraining his primal self as they came to a stop by Kagome's door.

"We haven't changed a thing," Miroku told Sesshoumaru as he glanced into the room. "Her door was open when we got here and we found everything like it is right now. Shippou took one sniff at the room and took off."

"We would have tried to slow him down if we had known he was going to disturb you," Sango replied next. "But he seemed so sure that you knew what happened. Do you know what happened Sesshoumaru?"

Sesshoumaru shook his head, his cool features and steady form beling the unsettled thoughts that crashed together in his mind while he glanced around the room. The small mirror above Kagome's dresser was shattered, the fractured shards scattered haphazardly and embedded in the carpet. Her comphone lay in two broken halves not to far away and the brush that was used to shatter the mirror had been tossed to the other side of the room. He could still sense Kagome's panicked tears and guessed that they were the reason for Shippou's rashness. Sesshoumaru took the time to take a closer look at the room and discovered Kagome's weapon's case still leaning against the same corner as that morning. He opened it and frowned as Junsei winked and shone back at him.

"What's Junsei still doing here?" Sango wondered as Miroku and the others finally noticed. "Kagome wouldn't leave Junsei behind. What's going on?"

"Yeah Sesshoumaru," Shippou barked angrily. "What's going on? What did you do to Kagome?"

"I **will **only say this once," Sesshoumaru finally snarled as he jerked Shippou up by his collar and held him suspended between heaven and earth. "I have nothing to do with this. Should you accuse me again I _will_ make you regret it in spite of what Kagome may think of my decision. Is that clear kitsune?"

"Yeah," Shippou huffed indignantly. "Yeah, I get you." He landed on his feet when Sesshoumaru released him, his hand opening without either warning or ceremony before he turned and walked out of the room. "Where are you going now?" Shippou demanded as Sesshoumaru walked down the hallway toward parts unknown.

"I am following her scent," Sesshoumaru answered as they walked down the dorm entrance hallway toward the main Garden commons. "You would have thought to do this if you had not been on your wild goose chase."

Inuyasha snickered as he walked past him, with Miroku following suit to see where Sesshoumaru would lead them. Only Sango stayed behind to pat his shoulder in understanding, then she was gone as well. Shippou shrugged and jogged behind the group while he reigned in his emotions. Somehow he had known that Sesshoumaru wouldn't have a clue as to where Kagome was or what had happened to her but he had to test out every possibility. Something bad had happened to his little sister and he needed to know what so he could help her.

Sesshoumaru led them to the parking lot where Hojo stood near the repair shop key storage. He was shaking his head slightly, a look of slight confusion maring his youthful features as he continued to stare out of the garage at the hot desert beyond.

"Hey Hobo," Inuyasha barked and grinned when Hojo jumped in fright. "What the hell's wrong with ya? You look like you've seen something weird."

"I kinda have," Hojo said, his nerves still a little rattled to mention Inuyasha's colorful use of his name. "Man, that was strange."

"Higurashi passed through here recently, correct?" Sesshoumaru interrupted. He was anxious to continue on but Kagome's scent stopped somewhere in this garage. He had a feeling as to what happened next and he knew that no nose on campus would be able to track her down if he were right.

"Yeah, she came through here about an hour or so ago like a bat out of Hades. She demanded a car and practically jumped me for some keys. She sped off and I haven't seen her since."

"Then why are you still staring at the garage door," Miroku asked. "Have you been in this same position for an hour?"

"Yeah," Hojo nodded. "I've been too afraid to move. I know this is going to sound crazy, but I could have sworn her eyes were...well, not glowing but something like it. It was some kind of ring and she was _**pissed**._"

Anger. It was something neither Sesshoumaru or Shippou picked up on and if Kagome were really as mad as Hojo suggested then the need to find her only intensified. 'She must not be thinking,' Sesshoumaru determined as he motioned to Hojo to hand him a set of keys. 'Things could be bad if she were to lose control.' He gestured toward the nearest van and waited for Inuyasha and the others, plus Souten who managed to catch up with them at the last second, to settle inside before starting the car and driving toward where he thought Kagome would be.

"Makayura," Sesshoumaru called to Shippou. "You're going to have to be of more help than you have been."

"Just what's that supposed to mean?" Shippou snapped as he pouted from the last seat in the back. "You act like I don't want to find Kagome."

"You are not behaving as such," Sesshoumaru countered effortlessly. "You are behaving like a spoiled child. Kitsune are known for their problem solving skills. You have the solution to our problem, yet you choose to cry and whine like a three week old pup."

"What's he talking about?" Souten wondered out lout. "Have you guys done something?"

"No, it's Kagome," Sango said before filling Souten in. Souten nodded in understanding a few minutes later, her gaze sympathetic as she gazed at Shippou from the corner of her eye. "Shippou, he's right. Don't you and Kagome have some sort of link or something?"

"It's a blood bond," Shippou replied as he held up his arm. "I can tell what she's feeling but I can't tell you where she is."

"But you do know what direction to go in," Inuyasha replied crossly. "All you have to do is point your arm and you've got her. So do it already so we can find her. I haven't had breakfast yet and Kikyou's promised me a picnic lunch this afternoon."

"Heaven forbid we prevent that," Shippou grumbled irritably but stuck his arm out of his window and concentrated. He felt a strong pull toward the southeastern section of the continent. "Go that way Sesshoumaru," Shippou said as he pointed the way. Sesshoumaru followed Shippou's directions without fail and after fifteen or twenty minutes he parked in front of an enormous monument.

"What in the world is this?" Inuyasha wondered as everyone got out of the van. "I've never seen anything like it."

"It's Tears Point," Shippou answered in awe and reverence. "Esthar built this place long before the first Sorceress War. The world thought that this was nothing more than a grave for long dead sorceresses back in the earlier days of Esthar's creation. No one knew what it really was for until 17 years ago when Galbadia raised the Lunatic Pandora from the ocean and used it to cause the Lunar Cry."

Sango shivered in spite of herself, her eyes briefly closed as she remembered the stories her father told her about the Lunar Cry. Millions of fiends rained down on the world once every 17 years, their descent from the moon to the ground marked by a blood red trail that cut through the darkness of space for days afterward. During this time roadways and any area not protected by cities were overrun with fiend activity. The SeeDs of the area would spend weeks trimming down the monsters to pre-Lunar Cry levels and even then the ones that remained were vicious beyond belief for months to come.

Sango shook herself out of her fear and followed the others into Tear's Point. The monument itself was a massive circle sectioned into eight separate areas. Each area held rows of fiends imprisoned inside specially treated glass cases. Here in one of the rows hid a small class of students and their teacher, their eyes wide and frightened as Sesshoumaru and the rest of his group urged them to come out.

"What happened?" Inuyasha asked as the first of many students began to cry. The boys in the group struggled to calm the weeping girls but they too were shaken up. A small grunt caught Sesshoumaru's ear and he wandered away from the others to investigate. He approached the center of Tear's Point were a group of mammoth statues, each holding on to a lyre of their own with their blank faces staring heavenward. Another grunt was heard, then a flash of light before the others finally joined him.

"What's going on?" he heard Sango whisper to Miroku. He felt Miroku's shrug without seeing it, then stepped back with everyone else when an explosion in front of the statues nearly rocked them off their feet. Dust and chunks of concrete flew up instantly and they coughed, wheezed, hacked and waved the dust away to get a clearer view of what was going on. Their jaws dropped one by one, until only Sesshoumaru stood with his composure intact as their missing friend appeared among the rubble. She was standing over something that was still shrouded by debris but the wind soon cleared the way to a better understanding of what was going on.

Kagome straddled a Galbadian soldier, human by the looks of him, with one knee bent so she could step on the unfortunate man's wrist. Her black mini skirt showed off miles and miles of legs that ended in a pair of black high heeled sandals. The man screamed as the spiked heel of one of her shoes drove itself into the tender flesh of his wrist. She hovered over the man like an enraged archangel, her hair billowing behind her in a black raven's wing as it lifted away from her face and shoulders. Her left hand was fisted in the soldier's hair while she held her right hand to his throat.

"What is she doing?" Inuyasha wondered after his initial shock wore off. "How did she manage to beat that guy up without a weapon?"

Sesshoumaru sighed and said nothing, his inner youkai finally settling down as he descended the stairs toward the center court and Kagome. He approached her soundlessly with his aura checked away should she decide to attack him as well. He could tell by her aura that she was close to losing control and he had to restrain her before she had a chance to do so. His tail snaked out slowly, then found purchase around her wrists. He snatched her up and away before she could wonder what happened and it was not long before she found herself dangling in front of Sesshoumaru's less than happy face.

"Just what do you think you're doing?" he quietly asked her as he appreciatively eyed the white silk deep-v neck halter top that caressed her upper curves. To his shock she began to fight him, her words little more than screams of outrage and anger as she twisted and jerked in his grasp. Sesshoumaru tightened his tail's hold on her to keep her from falling and hurting herself while the others moved forward to pull the soldier away.

"Don't **touch him**!" Kagome suddenly snarled with the viciousness of a full blooded demon. "He's **mine**!"

"Kagome stop this," Sesshoumaru commanded as she continued to defy him. She screamed her frustration and a small kunai suddenly zipped through the air. It embedded itself in the concrete between the soldier's legs, taking with it a small rip from the crotch area of the soldier's pants. Sesshoumaru turned back to his wildcat when she screamed again. Her cry rang in his ears long after she fell silent. Her struggles continued for what felt like hours with Sesshoumaru's tail taking the brunt of her fury. She attempted to kick him and was rewarded for each effort with a brief shake from Sesshoumaru to warn her against the action.

"What in the **hell** is wrong with her?" Inuyasha demanded as the others restrained the soldier and sat him as far away from Kagome as possible. Her hair hid most of her face from view but her eyes glowed with promise. She followed the soldier until they took him out of her sight, then continued her fight with Sesshoumaru while he stood by and waited for her to cool down.

"Damn it, can _somebody_ tell us something!" Inuyasha finally snapped, his patience worn to a fragile thread while the others looked on.

"Um, I may be able to help."

They turned toward the teacher of the group of students they found on their arrival. She had recovered somewhat from her shock and she stood on unsteady but determined legs. "You're SeeD, aren't you?"

"Yes ma'am," Shippou nodded. "I'm Private Makayura. With me are privates Endo, Saikai, Almasy and our First Captain. The young lady with him is our friend and she's also a SeeD."

"Do you normally behave like her?" the teacher wondered as Kagome resorted to biting Sesshoumaru's tail. She spit out a mouth full of snow white cotton and moved to try it again when he shook her, this time harder than his last attempts. Sesshoumaru hated to admit it, but his tail was the most sensitive part of him and what she was doing was beginning to become uncomfortable. The last straw came when she bit him and that had hurt like all hell. Shippou grinned wickedly at Sesshoumaru's discomfort and shook his head.

"No ma'am. Normally she doesn't either. She's upset about something and we're here to find out what."

"Oh, so you're not here about the kidnaping?"

"Kidnaping?" Inuyasha, Sango, Souten and Miroku shouted at once. "What kidnaping?"

"That's what I thought you were here for," the teacher told them before casting a hesitant glance toward Kagome. "That's what I thought the young lady was here for as well. She came here not long before you and before we had a chance to say anything to her she ran down the steps and pulled that young soldier out of his hiding place among the statues. I must say, she's given my class quite the scare. More so than the Galbadian brutes that were here earlier."

"Galbadian soldiers were here too?" Miroku asked as he stepped to the front of the group. "When was this?"

"This morning," the teacher answered with some surprise in her voice. "They came in quickly, grabbed one of my students and was gone before anyone had a chance to do anything. We called his parents and the Esthar Plains Patrol and were instructed to wait here."

"But which student was taken?" Inuyasha asked. He never received his answer as the bracing scent of tears cut through the air. They turned and stared at Sesshoumaru, who for once in his life looked completely lost as Kagome went limp in his hold. Her head bowed and from underneath her dark bangs tears dripped down her chin. They splattered one by one on the ground below her though some were caught on the toe of her shoes. He set her down gently, his normally cool eyes warm and genuinely concerned as he glanced up at Sango for help. Kagome sniffed then outright sobbed, her broken hearted cries carrying on the cool afternoon breezes as they caressed her bare shoulders.

Shippou shook as whatever dam blocked her feelings from him broke loose. The inklings of her emotions flooded into him and he found himself floored at the pain, sadness and feelings of failure welled and bubbled forth. "It's Souta isn't it?" he whispered. His answer was her sob, this one more broken than the last as she tried to crumple herself into a ball.

"But why Souta?" Sango wondered before kneeling down beside Kagome. She wrapped her arms around Kagome's shoulders and held her while she cried, her tears and sobs falling way to tiny hiccups and sighs. "He's just a kid. What's Deling got to prove by taking a kid?"

"Maybe it's where the kid's from," Miroku speculated. "He might think that maybe if he has a hostage, Esthar will bargain a surrender."

"But Esthar would sooner let him die than do th-OW!" he yelped when Shippou, Souten and Miroku whopped him upside the head. "What was that for?"

"You are making things worse," Souten grumbled from behind Shippou. "She's finally calming down and you want to get her started again." Sango nodded in agreement, then looked down when Kagome began nudging her. She opened her arms to look down at her, then moved them away when Kagome seemed not to need her support anymore. She kept her gaze to the ground as she sat still, her form quiet and confusing while everyone else waited for the teacher to speak again.

"Souta is in my history class," she finally said with a hand to her heart. "No wonder she came in the way she did. Everyone knows that Souta's big sister means the world to him. Its only natural that she would feel the same."

The others nodded, each well aware in their own way what lengths Kagome would go through to protect her baby brother. They turned back to her when she shifted slightly. She refused to stand, preferring to slowly crawl toward Sesshoumaru. She stopped a couple of inches in front of him and bowed down, her hair shifting around her in a dark curtain when her forehead touched the dirt before his feet.

"I humbly beseech your help Sesshoumaru," she whispered hoarsely, her hands sliding through the sand to clump together in front of her. "I can't get him back on my own. I have failed him once." She sniffed and the tears, hot and fresh, streamed down her face anew. "I cannot risk failing him again. In return I'll be in your debt for as long as you want."

Sesshoumaru was stunned, his mind a complete and utter blank as he and the rest of her companions looked down on her. Whether she realized it or not, Kagome had begun a sacred invocation of inu law. Should he refuse her, she would be free to find whatever assistance she could acquire. Should he help her, she would receive the best of his efforts in return for whatever he required of her debt. Either way, she still publicly announced (in her own way) that he was her better. She remained at his feet, her pride and confidence stripped from her as she awaited his answer.

'This Sesshoumaru regrets telling you of his people's ways,' he whispered in her mind as he sent out tendrils of gold to calm her. Kagome's slight trembles continued but her tears slackened. She knew without a doubt that he would help her and with that thought she slipped into blissful unconsciousness. The others immediately crowded around her, their concern and fright at her behavior putting everyone on edge.

Sesshoumaru took off his jacket and held it toward Sango, his growl at being ignored bringing her attention to his offering as she gently took int from him. She threaded Kagome's arms through the arms and placed Kagome's head in her lap. She gently combed through Kagome's bangs in an effort to comfort her friend, but quickly drew her hands away when Sesshoumaru bent down, picked her up and walked toward the exit with her in his arms.

"Bring the soldier with us," he called over his shoulder. "There is much I wish to 'discuss' with him."

)-(

The roar of engine filled the air as Sango stepped off the train, the scent of diesel fuel a strange and welcomed homecoming while the men walked toward the train station to arrange for their transferals. Sango smiled softly, her heart lifted considerably at finding her home town without scars or damage from New Galbadia's occupation. She turned toward Kagome and frowned.

Her friend was seated on one of the many benches surrounding the station. Kagome's shoulders were slumped and her hair, what wasn't pulled back in the braid Sango fashioned for her earlier, hung in her face in dark wisps. The sparkle that normally lived in Kagome's eyes was gone, replaced by a darkness that fueled her depression and kept her away from her friends. She was wearing a strange white outfit today, one that Sesshoumaru explained to be a part of the collection Kagome brought back from her time on the Centra continent.

It fit her well but covered every inch of her skin except for an inch or so at the base of her throat. Sango helped Kagome dress earlier, so she had seen the cotton sheath dress with the blue and yellow trim around the collar. Over it was a sort of hooded wool dress with a deep v neckline that reached her waist. Red, blue and yellow encircled the neckline, hood and sleeves of the garment. A warm pair of stockings and a pair of white boots were last. Sango understood how Kagome went without a coat while everyone else shivered in theirs. Sango patted the back of Kagome's head soothingly and silently cursed Deling with every fiber of her being. He'd done this to her friend, practically ripping out her soul and leaving this empty shell behind. He'd forced her to give up her pride and everything she worked hard for to beg for help, and in the process reduced herself to little more than dirt underneath Sesshoumaru's feet.

To Sesshoumaru's credit, he said nothing on the subject. He hovered over Kagome and was constantly whispering to her when he wasn't using Sango's comphone. Sango smiled when she thought of the phone bill Kagome's parents would receive at the end of the month and knew without asking that Sesshoumaru would take care of that too. She was beginning to see her captain in a new light as he did as he promised, though why in the world Kagome considered the stoic youkai a friend was still beyond her.

"Hey Sango!"

Sango looked up from her musings and waved as Inuyasha, Shippou and Miroku approached her. She blushed when Miroku winked at her then noticed that Sesshoumaru was missing.

"Where's Sesshoumaru you guys?" she asked as Inuyasha handed her six tickets to Balamb Garden. Headmaster Leonheart had assigned them a two week leave before steering the Garden back to Balamb Island and the clearing it called home. He left them in Esthar so Kagome could spend more time with her family before returning to the Garden and their duties. Deling surprised them all recently by opening Galbadia to the rest of the world. Trains were operating in day's time instead of the weeks they thought it would take to get the worldwide system up and running. Sesshoumaru deemed it necessary to catch the first train to Timber immediately afterward.

"You know Mr. Do It Himself," Inuyasha huffed angrily, his irritation for his older brother evident in his voice. "He ran off to do...I don't know..._something_!"

"He went to see a contact of his," Shippou answered after giving Inuyasha a not so gentle shove. "He told us to go ahead and get to the Timber Hotel and wait for him." Shippou's gaze softened as he turned to Kagome. She had yet to respond to anything they said and had been this way since they left Esthar. He was starting to believe that they should have left her there but he knew Kagome would have fought them tooth and nail before allowing them to walk out the door without her. He kneeled down in front of her, touched her hand and gazed into eyes that did not see him, whispered into ears that did not hear him, and knew why Sesshoumaru was always so disturbed whenever he talked to her.

"Oh Kagome," he whispered as he brushed a loose strand of hair out of her eyes. "I'd give anything to get you to be the way you used to be. I miss you so much." He shivered as a chilly gust of wind blew past him and watched to see if she would respond to it. Her hair blew forward before the strength of the wind jerked her hood over her head but otherwise she never moved, never did more than blink and sigh. Shippou closed his eyes, turned away from the pain in her eyes and looked up at Sango. "Thanks a lot Sango," he said as he straightened himself to a standing position. "I know you're taking great care of her."

"You don't have to thank me," Sango said as she caressed the back of Kagome's head again. "Kagome's family and I'd do anything for her."

"I know, it's just that-" he stopped when Kagome shuddered, the jerking violent and temporary. She sniffed and looked up, her eyes clear for the first time in weeks as she glared at the area around them.

"Kagome," Miroku called as he the other stepped forward to check on her. "Kagome, are you alright? What is it? What's wrong?"

"Kagome, can you hear us?" Sango asked. She yelped in surprise and jumped back when she suddenly stood up and jerked her head toward the center of town. "What is it Kagome? Kagome!" She gasped when Kagome bolted, her footsteps heavy and quick as she dashed across the train station.

"Damn it!" Inuyasha growled as he and the others chased after her. "She comes out of this living death to give us a foot chase! She's so much damned trouble!"

"Shut up and run Inuyasha!" Shippou huffed as he followed Kagome's scent. They followed her down the tracks past the pet shop toward the center of town and the Timber Maniac's printing shop and stopped as the sound of static cut through the air.

"What's that?" Sango asked above the noise as she looked into the sky. "What's making that noise?"

"I don't know but I bet that's where Kagome's going," Shippou hollered before he and Inuyasha continued running. Sango and Miroku followed close behind. They ran down the street toward the Deling City train station and ran down the stairs beside it, wishing they were youkai so they could jump the stairs like Inuyasha and Shippou. They followed the pair into a nearby bar and ran straight through it into the back alleyway.

"Where are we Sango?" Inuyasha yelled as they continued their sprint.

"We're getting close to the TV Station," Sango yelled back, her voice barely audible as the sound of static grew louder. Inuyasha and Shippou stopped suddenly, barely fazed when Miroku and Sango practically slammed on the brakes to keep from running into them, and stood by as Kagome glared up at the enormous panoramic TV screen.

"Kagome!" Shippou yelled over the static. "Kagome what's wrong!"

"Hey, somebody call Sesshoumaru," Inuyasha hollered to Sango and Miroku. "He might be able to help."

"Right!" Shippou opened his comphone immediately and pressed the single digit number that would put him through to Sesshoumaru and Sango's comphone. He snapped the phone closed when the static cleared and the TV screen went black, then flickered to life as a press room with blue curtains appeared on the TV screen. A blonde woman dressed in a red suit stepped to the podium.

"Ladies and gentlemen of the world, thank you for your time this Late November afternoon," she announced as the camera focused on her. "I bring you tidings from the New Galbadia government." Inuyasha and Shippou snickered at the boos coming from the city's occupants, their displeasure loud enough to be heard in the farthest corners of the city.

"As I'm sure you're aware, the trains in New Galbadia have been reinstated, thanks to our life long president, Juromaru Deling-"

Another round of boos and hisses from the crowd.

"And all travel restrictions between New Galbadia and other countries have been lifted. This is just a taste of the wonderful things to come. With this in mind, I would like to introduce our President. President Deling!" The displeasure surged as the woman stepped aside and Deling stepped toward the podium, his smile predatory and his ice blue eyes gleaming as he stared into the camera's lens.

"Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for taking the time to stop and listen to this important message," Deling began with a smirk. "I promise not to take up too much of your time, as I'm sure you're busy doing other things at this time of day."

"Hey," Inuyasha whispered urgently. "Since when was Deling a hanyou?"

"Huh?" Shippou asked, then turned toward the TV screen like the others. Deling's lavender hair and blue eyes were certainly strange, but nothing about it screamed 'hanyou' to them. "How can you tell?"

"It's his aura," Inuyasha answered. "Can't you see it? It's just weird. And, you know, the fangs help too."

The others nodded in agreement, wondering to themselves how they managed to miss such important details while Kagome continued to glare at the TV screen.

"That being said," they heard Deling say after he cleared his throat. "I wish to get straight to the point. Rumors have surfaced that the New Galbadian government is responsible for the recent kidnaping of an Esthar citizen. I wish to say that myself and the New Galbadian government are in no way responsible for the incident. I, however, am appalled at the very idea of using an innocent child to gain leverage. That is why, with the help of my trusted captains and officers, have discovered information to the young man's whereabouts."

"This is such BS," Inuyasha growled under his breath. "Like we don't already know that the bastard has him. Who does he think he's foolin'?"

"I am willing to share this information with the prince of our fair country, one of the First Captains of the SeeD militia's organization. If he would agree to meet with me at the Desert Prison on the western desert region of the continent, alone, then I would be more than willing to share this information with him and place him in contact with anyone that may be able to assist the investigation." Deling stepped off camera without another word and the announcement went off, leaving the citizens of Timber in stunned and disbelieving silence.

"Hey you guys," Miroku said once the shock wore off. "Who's the prince of this country? Where are we going to find him?"

"Are you insane?" Shippou grumbled irritably. "We've been traveling with him, though he could have the decency to show up right now."

"Hey Kagome," Sango suddenly called out. "You shouldn't do that!" They turned just as Kagome wound back her arm and chucked a brick at the TV screen. They watched as the brick sailed through the air at top speed and prepared themselves to duck the gigantic shards of glass that would follow once the brick made it to it's destination.

They were shocked when the brick disappeared, vanishing in a flash of light and a puff of smoke before a 'tisk-tisk' came from above them. Sesshoumaru calmly floated down to them, never moving from his cross legged position on his miasma as he crumbled the brick into dust.

"That was not a good idea little gunner," he reprimanded softly as her blazing eyes pierced into him. "We would have had to bail you out of jail had your attempt succeeded and I doubt we have time for such luxuries." He waited until he was nearly eye level with her before shaking his finger at her in disapproval. "Tisk-tisk." The others gaped when she bit him, her strike cobra-fast and surprising to even the taiyoukai. They were surprised again when he shivered, his eyes glimmering with mischief as he smirked down at her and purred, "Do that again, except this time a little harder."

The blush that lit on Kagome's cheek was instantaneous and she turned away from him with a scowl on her delicate features. "You're such a pervert."

"So I've been told." Sesshoumaru stood up as the cloud finished it's descent and dispelled it with a flick of his hand. "I take it everyone's seen the broadcast."

"Um, yeah," Inuyasha stuttered as he mentally shook himself. "We saw it. What we don't understand is-"

"What does he want you for?" Shippou interrupted, ignoring Inuyasha's growl of annoyance. "I mean, wouldn't he want to speak to the Headmaster, or maybe the President of Esthar."

"Even Dad makes more sense than you," Inuyasha began as he re-joined the conversation. "So what does he want you for?"

"Maybe he just wants to be sure that he won't be arrested," Miroku offered. "I mean, that's pretty stupid of you think about it but that might be what he was thinking."

"He's lying."

They glanced at Kagome and nodded in agreement. They were just happy to see her active and moving, not walking about like a mindless zombie. It contrasted so greatly with her naturally bubbly nature that even her anger looked good to those that cared about her.

"We know Kagome. No one has fallen for Deling's tricks," Sesshoumaru assured her in the same gentle tone he'd used on her for the past two weeks. "Though he is wrong if he thinks I'm going to just walk into his trap." He frowned when Sango's comphone began to ring, the cutesy pop tune already grating on his nerves as he picked it up and walked away from the others. He plugged in a set of earphones and placed them in his ears before saying hello and the group strained their ears to hear his part of the conversation.

"Yes, we've seen the announcement...No sir, I do not...Of course...Hold on please." Sesshoumaru returned and handed Kagome the phone, but not before telling them about the other end of the conversation. "That was Headmaster Leonheart. He has instructed for myself and my team to arrive at the Desert Prison by the end of the week. We are to find our own way into the building and rescue any prisoners that we find, along with Souta Higurashi. We're to detain Juromaru Deling if possible."

"Good," Kagome growled as the others nodded in agreement. "I can't wait to get my hands on him and rip his head off."

"You are not going."

The group stepped back when Kagome rounded on him, all her anger and frustrating bubbling to the surface as she glared at him. "What are you talking about? Of course I'm going!"

"You have been assigned another week's leave," Sesshoumaru told her. "You are to board the train to Balamb, then meet with Garden personnel at the train station there. They will personally escort you back to Balamb Garden where you will await our arrival and a new mission."

"I'm not going back to the Garden!" Kagome shouted angrily. "There's no way you're leaving me behind on something as important as this! You promised me Sesshoumar-"

"I promised to return your brother safely," Sesshoumaru interrupted cooly. "I said nothing about you attending the rescue in person. However..." Here he paused, choosing his words carefully before speaking again. "The decision was not mine to make. The Headmaster insisted."

Kagome snatched her phone from him without another word, pushed the earpiece into her ear and snapped, "They're not leaving without me Headmaster."

"Kagome-" Headmaster Leonheart started but was cut off before he could even begin.

"I don't care what you say, they're not leaving without me!"

"Kagome-"

"He's my brother and **my** responsiblity!"

"Kagome-"

"I've already messed up once, I'm not about to do it again. I want to be there to see —"

"**ENOUGH!**" Headmaster Leonheart snapped into the phone. He waited until he was sure of her silence, then said, "I understand your frustration Kagome, really I do, but you cannot go on this mission."

"Why no-"

"Because you are a liability," he snapped again, his nerves frayed from trying to reason with her. "What do you think the chances are of this mission being successful with the emotional state you are in?"

"Are you saying that because I'm a girl I can't go!"

"No, I'm saying because you're the victim's _sister_ you can't go!" the headmaster shot back. "You have no idea of how much danger you could put him in. You are in no position to think rationally so you could not be of any help to this mission."

"But Headmaster-"

"My decision is final," he said softly. "Return Captain Endo to the line." Squall waited until Sesshoumaru's baritone resonated through the phone lines.

"Yes Headmaster?"

"Be sure that Private Higurashi returns to Balamb as soon as possible," Squall instructed. "Do not leave her behind, do not plan anything in front of her and do not allow her to follow you."

"Yes Headmaster," Sesshoumaru affirmed. "However, I do have a request."

"What is it?" Squall asked tiredly. His fingers pinched the bridge of his nose and he sat back in his chair in an attempt to relax.

"I ask that you consider Higurashi's request," came Sesshoumaru from the other end. Squall sighed and said, "I have already had this discussion with Higurashi. She is not to go and that is final. Surely you understand the reasons why."

"I do, but it has come to my attention that Higurashi may be of more use that we first thought. She is the only one on the team with the negotiation skills needed to ensure the success of this mission. She is also the only one trained and certified to handle an airship's gun controls."

"You will be needing an airship?" Squall inquired.

"That was my intention, yes. The only way to arrive in the specified time would be to acquire an airship and fly to the outskirts of the desert. We would be defenseless without her should Deling decide to double-cross us and attempt an in-air battle."

Squall rested his elbows on his polished wood desk, plunked his head into his hands and sighed. "I see your point Captain. However, I still wish to stick to my first decision."

"I understand that," came Sesshoumaru's even response. "I did not ask for you to change your mind. I merely asked that you consider my point."

"I will. I will also arrange for an airship to meet with you near the Eastern Academy Station. Good day Captain Endo." He hung up without another word, a frown marring his features as he rubbed his face with his hands.

"What's up?"

Squall looked up and groaned as Zell bounced into the room and took a seat in front of him.

"You look like you're having a rough day."

"You saw the broadcast," Squall replied wearily. "You tell me what kind of day I should be having?"

Zell chuckled and laughed harder when Squall scowled at him. "Have you assigned a team then?"

"I have. They will meet with Deling at the assigned location at the desired time."

"And Private Higurashi?"

Squall sighed yet again. "She wishes to attend."

"And you said no?"

Squall nodded."

"For what?"

"Are you serious?" Squall asked, then shook his head at himself. "Of course you are. Since when would you say something so dumb and not be serious?"

"So why can't she go?" Zell asked. "You never answered my question."

"She can't go because she's unstable," Squall answered for the second time that day. "She'll put her teammates and her brother at risk. She won't be able to think clearly."

"Do you know that for sure?" Zell wondered aloud. "When you talked to her, did she seem like she wouldn't be able to handle herself?"

"No actually," Squall answered and chuckled at his conversation with Kagome. "She seemed plenty mad, but not an emotional wreck. Still-"

"Still nothing," Zell replied with a flippant wave of his hand. "I can't believe you of all people told her no anyway. I seem to remember some years ago when a SeeD took it upon himself to carry an injured young lady out of the infirmary and across the old FH tracks by himself."

"Come on Zell," Squall began as Zell stood up and began to pace. "That was a long time ago and-"

"He left his **entire** team behind and just started walking! Can you believe that? By the time they caught up to him he was half way to Esthar! And let's not even start about the space walk he took to get her back, and the way he stormed into Esthar's Sorceress Memorial. He nearly got his entire team thrown in priso-"

"ALRIGHT!" Squall hollered suddenly. "Alright, I'll admit, I did some foolish things back then. But now is a different time."

"Yeah, it was more dangerous back then," Zell replied. "All we have now is some nut trying to be president and take over the world. Back then we had a sorceress, a real life, bona fied sorceress and you still went to the wire for her. Why can't Higurashi do that for her brother? Our headmaster didn't try to stop you, so why are you trying to stop her?"

Squall opened his mouth to speak, then closed it with a snap and let his head drop to the table. "I really, _really_ hate talking to you sometimes," came his mumbled reply. Zell grinned and snapped to attention. "It's my duty sir."

"Why can't anyone else see that this is dangerous?" Squall asked aloud. "This feels like a trap to me, but I can't figure out why or what Deling wants. I don't like it at all."

"I'm sure Captain Endo doesn't either," Zell thought aloud. "I mean, I'm sure he's realized that by now. That may be why he wants her with him. Just let her go Squall. It's not like anything's gonna happen. Send Captain Endo the supplies and let her go. They'll need the extra manpower anyway."

Squall was quiet as he watched Zell leave, the knowing look on the blonde instructor's face annoying him as he picked up the phone and began to dial.

)-(

How Sesshoumaru managed to convince their headmaster to let her go was still a mystery to her, but Kagome intended to thank the both of them as soon as this mission was over. They received their modified orders just before Kagome boarded the train to Balamb and she couldn't contain her joy at not being left behind. The Black Dragon awaited them outside the Eastern Academy Station loaded with a change of clothes, food and medicine just in case anyone was injured. Kagome shuddered at the thought then brushed it aside as she walked down the ramp way past the engine room. She gasped when someone or something grasped her arm and jerked her inside, the blaring florescent lights of corridor disappearing to total darkness once the door closed to the room she was now in.

Kagome reared her hand back to fight, her aura blazing angrily at being manhandled, but before she could give the first blow she was picked up by her waist. She felt herself lowered down until she was straddling something and a large hand splayed across her lower back.

"Sesshoumaru?" she called out softly. Her answer was a hand combing through her hair, successfully ruining her braid might I add, and patting her shoulder reassuringly. "What is wrong with you?" she scolded with a soft blow to his shoulder. "You scared me half the death!" She reached up to hit him again, but he caught her hand and held it, his claws gently scratching her wrist and arm.

"Kagome stop," he whispered back tiredly. "I am in no mood for this."

"Well you should have thought of that before you started jerking people into dark rooms," Kagome griped moodily. She did stop her assault on him and tried to look around. "Where are we anyway?" she asked. She closed her eyes and listened to the sound of gears churning, steam being released and a slight whirling. "Are we in the engine room? Why is it so dark in here?"

"I come in here to think sometimes," she heard Sesshoumaru reply as his arms pulled her closer to him. "The sounds and the darkness are...calming."

"Sesshoumaru, are you alright?" Kagome asked once she finally realized how tired he sounded. "You don't sound right. Is there anything I can do?"

"Just sit here," was his response while his hands caressed her back. She nodded back and placed her head on his shoulder, her arms winding around his body in a gentle embrace. The weight of his head soon settled on hers and for once Sesshoumaru found his thoughts finally settling together as he breathed in her tranquilizing scent. This entire mission set him on edge and for the majority of the week he couldn't figure out why. His Timber contacts hadn't a clue as to why Deling would want an Esthar hostage, especially now with the New Galbadian army. The humans on the army were joined by multitudes of rouge youkai and fiends so now the president's military force could crush any government on the planet without any difficulty.

The passing of time only made things worse for him until finally he sought refuge inside the engine room. He had all intentions of sitting in here by himself until Kagome's scent wafted through the small barrier he placed on the room. He reached out and pulled her inside before he could stop himself and, though he probably wouldn't do it again, he didn't regret her presence as she did her best to comfort him. Her hand came up to cup his cheek, her palm slightly cooler than his skin, and her thumb softly brushed against his cheekbone and markings. She relaxed against him and allowed him to support her meager weight in a show of trust that helped more than he thought possible.

"Are you alright now?" she asked once she felt him relax. "Cause you're really starting to scare me. What's the matter anyway?"

"It is...we shall arrive three miles away from the Desert Prison in twenty minutes," Sesshoumaru replied as strength renewed his voice. "Almasy and Saikai will stay and protect the ship from intruders. Inuyasha and Makayura will come with me."

"What about me?" Kagome asked warily, though she felt she already knew the answer.

"I want you to stay here."

"I'm not going to," Kagome replied calmly. "I've already told you that I'm not going to be left behind."

"This mission does not settle right with me," he told her. "There is something...wrong with this arrangement."

"I'm still not staying here," Kagome told him. "I want to be there for Souta. He's got to be so afraid by now and I want to make things easier on him if I can."

"Deling knows we would not believe his story about not having him," Sesshoumaru said next. "So why would he insist on this charade? Do you not see how odd this is?"

"I do, but you can't make me stay here Sesshoumaru. I want to be there. I can help remember?"

"I do but..." He paused suddenly, his voice dropping away for just a moment before he continued. "I do not believe I will be able to protect you."

That one statement, and the uncertainty behind it, touched Kagome to the point of tears. Did she really mean that much to them, to the point where he would rather have a disadvantage in battle than put her at risk? She blinked them back furiously, a happy but watery smile on her lips as she said, "You don't have to worry about protecting me, ok? I'll be with you, Shippou and Inuyasha so everything will be fine. Besides, you didn't promise to protect me. You promised to help Souta."

She felt him stand up, her legs falling to either side of him before he set her down in the chair they were both sitting in. "I wish you had not invoked that promise," he whispered as he traced the line of her jaw. "I would have helped you anyway, without your pledge. That is why I do not accept it. You owe me nothing Kagome Higurashi and I would not take anything from you that you were not willing to give." She heard him step away from her and felt his eyes on her still form before the light from the corridor shone in her face. The engine room lights suddenly flickered on before the door closed and she found herself alone. She stared at the door in shock, the tears she held back finally trickled down her cheeks to fall on the backs of her hands.

"I'll never, ever understand him," Kagome mumbled to herself with a hiccup. "Why on earth do I feel this way about him anyway?" She was so confused and she wanted someone to talk to. She stood up and left the room, the feeling of being pulled through a squeegee surprising her as she stepped through the threshold. She heard the tiny **tink** of Sesshoumaru's barrier dissipating and sighed.

'It's not fair,' she said as she made her way to the passenger deck where Sango would be waiting. 'He grates my nerves like no one else, including Inuyasha, but all he has to do is touch me and I...melt. Oh man. I'm a basketcase. Where's Sango when I-'

"Three minutes until landing," the ship's warning said through the intercom system. "Three minutes until landing. All personnel please fasten your safety belts and be ready for departure." Kagome sat down in one of the seats embedded in the engine corridor wall and fastened her seatbelt, holding on to the shoulder straps in fright as the ship navigated a safe landing. She shook in her boots, dusted herself off and stood up once the ship's computer said it was safe to do so, then dried her face with the back of her hand and made her way toward the cargo loading dock.

"Hey, where you been?" Inuyasha called as he and the others stood waiting on her. She waved, her confusion over Sesshoumaru forgotten as she smiled back and tightened Junsei's holster.

"I've been around," Kagome called back innocently.

"Around where?" Inuyasha inquired curiously.

"None of your business where," Kagome shot back jovially. "It's not like you live in my back pocket anyway."

"And if I may say so," Miroku said from his place near the cargo bay doors. "What fine back pockets you have Kagome."

"You pervert!" Sango cried out as she walloped him upside the head. "Can't you keep your comments to yourself?"

"Oww..."

"Nit-wit," Shippou growled disapprovingly. "Well Sesshoumaru, whenever you're ready."

Sesshoumaru nodded before handing Kagome a different holster. This one was black instead of her silver one and it matched the black loose pants and knit shirt she was wearing. "Give Almasy your holster and use this one," he said and cleared his throat. "Almasy, Saikai, you are to stay here and protect the ship until our return. Inuyasha, Makayura and Kagome, you three are to come with me. We will infiltrate the northern section of the Desert Prison and make our way toward the lower floors until we receive some sign of Deling. No one is to attack until I give the command. Kagome," he glanced at her, whatever emotion he felt in the engine room wiped clean from his eyes. "You are to stay close to us. You are _not_ to run off. If I think you are going to disobey my orders I will have Makayura return you to the ship. Is that understood?"

"Yes sir," Kagome nodded meekly. "I won't run off."

"Good. Are there any questions?"

"Yeah. What do we do if the ship's attacked?" Miroku asked as he stumbled out of his stupor. Inuyasha groaned as Sango, Kagome and Shippou chuckled behind him.

"That's so dumb Miroku. You shoot to kill. Jeez Sango I think you hit him too hard."

"Now that that is over," Sesshoumaru sighed irritably. "Let us be off." Sango nodded and lowered the cargo bay ramp. She watched as Sesshoumaru and his team walked off into the night, taking the time to wave back to Kagome before raising the ramp. The four SeeD made their way toward their destination silently, the fiends nor the New Galbadian soldiers none the wiser as they stole across the cooling desert sands.

The prison resembled three gigantic screws, each one connected to the other by three outside corridors. Inuyasha rushed a nearby guard and knocked him out without a fight, then stole his access key and used it to get inside the prison. They walked down a small hallway to a steel door with a small rectangular window . Shippou peered inside and shuddered.

"There's at least fifteen in all," he whispered with a slight frown. "Three of them are youkai technicians and they're heavily armed. The rest are fiends with these weird blinking collars around their necks."

"That's how they're controlling the fiends then," Inuyasha replied with a nod. "The headmaster's been wondering that for months now."

"Then we will have to obtain one of those collars," Sesshoumaru said as he added it to the mission. Inuyasha snorted and rolled his eyes.

"Yeah well good luck to us," he said in a huff. "I don't know how we're going to even get into the _room_ no less get one of those collars."

"That I am not worried about," Sesshoumaru responded cooly. He gestured toward the door and glanced at Kagome. "Whenever you are ready Kagome."

Kagome nodded and kneeled beside the small crack underneath the door. Inuyasha and Shippou stood by in confusion, while Sesshoumaru merely waited as Kagome pressed the palm of her hand flat against the floor's cool concrete surface. She closed her eyes and her breathing deepened, her chest rising and lowering slowly as she concentrated. Inuyasha and Shippou jerked as the first of her purifying aura began to form, the hair on the backs of their necks standing on end while the soldiers on the other side of the door remained unaware.

Kagome opened her eyes and stared directly into Sesshoumaru's, the rims of her blue-green eyes gradually beginning to glow as though to a countdown. Sesshoumaru watched it intently, the green ticking away as her aura spread throughout the room ahead. She closed her eyes and shuddered, pulled her hand off of the floor and shook it before standing. "That was...bad," she whispered to herself, a far away look starting in her eyes as she stared down at the floor. "That felt so wrong. I'm still cold inside."

"What the hell was that!" Inuyasha suddenly exploded, then winced when Sesshoumaru and Shippou hit opposite sides of his head. "What was that for?"

"Are you **_trying_** to get us caught hanyou?" Sesshoumaru growled impatiently. He waited until he was sure of Inuyasha's silence before opening the door. He began his descent down the stairs in front of them, Kagome trailing along quietly behind him while Inuyasha and Shippou followed in disbelief. Where youkai and fiend once stood were now nothing more than piles of gray ash. The door kicked up a wind that stirred them, lifting small gray flakes to blow them around the room. Their footsteps caused more to blow about and Sesshoumaru kicked aside a large pile that blocked their way before stopping to scent the area.

"Deling went this way," he said as he gestured toward a nearby staircase leading down. He reached down for one of the collars and tied it to his waist.

"What makes you say that?" Shippou asked as Inuyasha and the others followed Sesshoumaru down. "What, are you psychic of something?"

"Something like that, yes," was his response before Sesshoumaru disappeared. Shippou shrugged and followed before groaning on the last stair. The pathway before them was circular, it and the walls around them made of dull gray steel. An enormous hole gaped in the middle that looked to fall straight to the bottom floor when Shippou peered over it's edge. Four cells were lined along the pathway with another set of stairs leading down was separated from them by a half wall.

"Well Sesshou-boy," Inuyasha said as he too looked down the hole and whistled. "What do you think? Sense Souta in any of the rooms?"

"No, I do not," Sesshoumaru answered and added with a growl, "Refrain from the nicknames and show some respect hanyou."

"Alright fellas let's not do this," Kagome said as she stepped between them. "We've got bigger fish to fry, remember?"

"Yeah yeah," Inuyasha said before turning away from them. "I just asked a question though. Is he on this floor or not?"

"No, again," Sesshoumaru told him. "I do sense the boy. He is here."

"How do you know it's him?" Kagome asked, her eyes hopeful and misty.

"Because," Sesshoumaru answered her with a pitying smile. "He's asking for you."

"Then let's go then," Shippou said as he jumped the half wall to the stairs. He stopped when no one else followed him and stared at them expectantly. "What? You heard what Sesshoumaru said? Let's go find the twirp."

"There has to be a faster way though," Inuyasha said and Sesshoumaru for once was in agreement.

"The stairs would take too much time, and the steel would announce our presence." Sesshoumaru mused to himself for a moment, then frowned. "We need a quieter way. Something Deling nor his guards won't suspect."

"Why don't we just go over the edge?" Inuyasha asked as he leaned over the side. "We could jump from edge to edge down the ramp and save hella time that way."

"That's fine with me," Kagome nodded. "Though I might take a bit more time than you guys."

"That will not be a problem," Sesshoumaru replied before glancing at Shippou. "Makayura-"

"Gotcha Sesshoumaru," Shippou said as he kneeled down in front of Kagome. "Ready to ride Kagome?"

"Yup. Let's go." Shippou waited until she was secure, then nodded to Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha. He followed the inu youkai down the hole to the next floor, his feet landing with perfect balance before jumping down to the next one.

"When we return to the ship," Sesshoumaru said to Inuyasha as they fell toward the next floor. "You will not speak a word about Kagome's ability."

"Why would I say anything?" Inuyasha hissed back. "And who would I tell that would care?"

"I do not know but you will forget today, whether of your own free will or mine means little to me."

"Fine, fine," Inuyasha relented with a huff. "But why haven't you said the same thing to Shippou?"

"Makayura will think before he opens his mouth. You are...a talker."

Inuyasha huffed but said nothing else as they made their way further into the prison. They stopped on the eight floor when Sesshoumaru raised his hand, his eyes glittering intently as he glanced around. "That one," he growled as he pointed toward a nearby cell. "He is there with Deling."

"Doing what?" Kagome asked and frowned when she didn't get an answer. "Sesshoumaru, doing-"

"Makayura, you take station near the stairs going down," Sesshoumaru instructed. "Inuyasha, you head toward the right and the third cell. Kagome, stay behind Makayura for as long as you possibly can. You will most likely need room and time to cast your spells." They split apart and watched as Sesshoumaru casually leaned beside the first cell door. They waited patiently, Kagome and Shippou back to back, with their weapons drawn.

"So you see child, there really is no reason to be afraid," they heard Deling say as the cell door slid open. "I have no intentions on harming you. I just wish to-well," Deling said when he finally noticed Sesshoumaru. "If it isn't the Western Prince. How are you this evening Sesshoumaru? You are earlier than expected."

"That is Captain Endo to you Deling," Sesshoumaru replied dryly. "You know why I'm here."

"Yes, I know." Deling sighed dramatically before pulling one of the prisoners out of the cell. "Here is the boy as promised. One of my men found him alone in the desert."

"Then why is he tied up?" Inuyasha asked from further down the pathway. "If you just rescued him why didn't you untie him first?"

"Sesshoumaru, I thought we agreed that you would be alone," Deling said with a disapproving shake of his head. "Surely you're not afraid of one man...are you?"

"You do not fool this Sesshoumaru," Sesshoumaru informed him as he stepped away from the wall. "You did not find the boy and you were not planning on seeing me alone."

"That is true," Deling replied happily. "GUARDS!" he suddenly roared and before they realized it they were surrounded by Galbadian soldiers, robot squads and fiends.

"You're right of course Sesshoumaru," Deling said as he picked up Souta and backed away from the taiyoukai. "I had no intentions on this being a fair meeting. I don't want to negotiate peace either. I want what's mine and I intend to get it." He glanced around and frowned when he noticed Shippou. "Are you not missing someone Sesshoumaru? Where is the raven-haired beauty you normally keep with you?"

"Her location is not your concern," Sesshoumaru replied, Shijko unsheathed and ready. Deling seemed to pout a moment before shrugging. "Very well then. Men, do what I pay you for."

The attack was instantaneous, with the Galbadian troops lunging at the SeeDs all at once. Shippou shoved Kagome toward the stairway before striking out at the first soldier, a Galbadian captain dressed in a red uniform. He punched the unlucky human in the jaw, his smile predatory as he watched the human sink to the ground with a shattered jawbone before he kicked another guard in the ribs.

The sounds of gunblade against gunblade rang out around them as Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha found themselves facing an entire squadron of youkai specialists. The squad was quick and worked together well, but were no match for the Endo brothers as they sliced their ranks in half in a moment's time. Kagome gasped as gunfire began, the remaining youkai unwilling to become Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha's next victims.

"There's got to be something I can do," Kagome said to herself as she peered over the half wall. For the most part, she only saw humans fighting against Shippou with the youkai and fiends circling around Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha. "The humans should be first," she said as she began to search for something useful to use against them. "I don't want to hurt them, not in the way I hurt those people in the control room upstairs." She continued to look until she found what she wanted and was surprised that Sesshoumaru of all people would have it.

"He'll just have to hand it over then won't he," she said as she called fort the GF she chose. The lights flickered above Shippou but he took little notice as his fight intensified. He did stop at the sound of a train's whistle, the shrill hoot foreign and unexpected as a blinding yellow light shone before him. Shippou stopped, as did everyone else on the pathway, as a demonically designed train suddenly smashed through the wall. Shippou, Inuyash and Sesshoumaru scrambled for cover as the train barreled around the circular pathway before disappearing.

The humans in Galbadian's employment fell instantly, their faces turning ashen as a sickly green cloud hovered over their heads. The soldiers that could stand up quickly carried the others up the stairs away from the fight. Sesshoumaru glanced at Kagome from his side of the half wall and frowned. "You could have warned someone," he growled to her. Kagome shrugged. "Sorry."

"So," Deling said from the other side of the pathway. The SeeDs were disappointed to find him standing behind a violet barrier unharmed.

"Souta looks like he's alright too," Inuyasha said once he was able to see him. "So thank God for small favors."

"Ahem," Deling called out in annoyance. "I was saying something!"

"Well say it!" Inuyasha hollered back as he, Shippou and Sesshoumaru stood up and glared at him. "We ain't got all day ya know!"

"So vulgar," Deling muttered to himself. "No matter. I see you've brought someone else Sesshoumaru. Might it be the dark haired one I asked about earlier?"

Kagome glanced up at Sesshoumaru, then stood up when he gestured for her to do so. She stepped from behind Shippou's back proudly, Junsei ready in her right hand as she glared at him.

"So it is you!" Deling chirped excitedly. "My, my, you've grown! Such a pretty thing now, not that you weren't a looker before."

"I want your hostage Deling," she said calmly, her pulse going a mile a minute as they stared each other down. "I want him now. I suggest you snap to it."

"You mean this hostage?" Deling said as he turned Souta to look at her. Souta grunted in excitement, the gag in his mouth preventing him from calling out to her before Deling dropped him at his feet. "Don't you have anything to say to your little brother my dear? I tried my best to make sure he wasn't injured but you know how those guards of mine can be. I cannot be blamed for a few...bruises."

"Oh yes you can be," Kagome growled angrily, her calm and cool facade evaporating as she raised Junsei. "I'll slice you up, one by one, for every hair missing on his head."

"I would like to see you try dear," Deling replied as he glanced at one of the youkai guards behind her. "I believe it would be a treat."

Kagome spun on her heel before the youkai could take her by surprise, opened her hand and smirked as a Firaga spell exploded from her palm into the youkai's face. It yowled in rage and agony, it's hands flying to it's face as it's bright orange hair caught fire. The other guards pounced on the group again, with little more conversation than the yowls of the injured and the singing of blade against blade. Kagome kept her eyes on Souta as she hacked her way toward him, her determination never faltering as one guard after another fell at her feet. She was halfway toward him when Deling smiled, his fangs glinting in the light as he pointed to Souta. Kagome watched, her mouth agape in horror as the appendage morphed into a purple tentacle. More ripped out of his back and sides, becoming eight in all as they slithered and squirmed in the damp air.

Kagome suppressed the urge to heave, her vision swimming slightly before giving herself a rough mental shake to regain her composure. "Not now Kagome. Not now," she hissed at herself as she lopped off the wing of a Thrustaevis, a gigantic bird-like creature with yellow and blue scales and a parrot beak. She could barely think, no less summon any GF, so she chose to cast spells whenever she could. She cast a quick Triple on herself before casting three more Firaga spells. One exploded to life in front of Inuyasha, and he jumped back just in time. The youkai private fighting him was not so lucky. He screamed in agony and took off running, his blue suit inflamed as he tumbled over the side and fell screaming into the hole.

The second and third appeared on Shippou's right and Sesshoumaru's left. The youkai on those sides stepped back and away as the spells served as firewalls for her friends. Shippou jumped back and disappeared as a gigantic cactuar fell from the ceiling. It teetered on unstable legs, it's expression on it's mustached face comically surprised as it finally tipped over and landed with a hard **_thoom_** on the corridor floor. Cactus needles scattered everywhere, successfully spearing Galbadian soldiers and fiends alike as a special shield surrounded Kagome and the others.

"Nice goin' Shippou!" Inuyasha called out once the GF disappeared. "Man, you called that thing up a lot quicker than last time!"

Kagome smirked as she continued to fight, her attention too widespread to congratulate her teammate. She glanced up and found Deling staring at her, a pleased smile on his face and a plotting look in his icy cerulean eyes while he used his purple tentacles to casually stroke Souta's hair. One of the suckers on the appendage caught in Souta's hair and Souta whimpered when it snatched itself free, bringing a few straight black hairs with it.

"Oh dear," Deling sighed as he held the hair to his face. "Did I do that? Oh well. I suppose you'll have to punish me for that too."

Kagome hissed, fury narrowing her eyes as the glowing green ring returned to her peacock blue orbs. She charged fully toward him with Junsei glowing a fierce pink, the razor sharp edge of her blade purified whatever it came in contact with. Gray dust scattered about her like snow and she grinned wickedly at the few remaining feet between herself and the hanyou president.

"I think you've gone far enough," Deling finally said as he waved one of his appendages through the air. "I've seen what I wanted to see." He waved at her again then shot a tentacle across the hole toward Sesshoumaru, who's back was toward them and didn't know the danger was coming. Kagome gasped and, without a second thought, dropped Junsei and began running. 'I'll never be able to get to him in time,' she said to herself as she tried to run faster. 'And he won't hear me over the roars and growls of the fiends around him. I can't let him get hurt.' She took a second more to think, then ran toward the hole and jumped, spreading herself wide as the tentacle careened toward her.

Sesshoumaru turned just as Kagome slammed into him and they both fell heavily to the floor. Sesshoumaru landed on his back painfully, with another blow to his chest from Kagome's chin as she fell on top of him. The fiends surrounding him stepped away warily, the power surging from Kagome's still form enough of a warning to the instinct driven monsters. Sesshoumaru growled painfully, opened his eyes and shook away the stars that danced in his vision.

"Kagome," he muttered as he regained his senses. "What just happened?"

"Heh. Sorry Sesshoumaru," Kagome laughed weakly as she raised her head. "I didn't mean to actually run into you."

"That's alright," he assured her, then frowned and looked down when he felt something warm ooze down his sides. "What the hell is th-"

"Thanks Sesshoumaru. Seriously, thank you so much for helping me," Kagome interrupted him with a sweet smile. "You don't know how much it means to me. I know you'll get Souta home safely."

"Of course we will," Sesshoumaru assured her while he brushed the hair away from her face. She rewarded him with a smile bright enough to light the world even with the tear that streaked down her cheek.

"If I could do everything over again, I'd tell you how I feel about you," Kagome whispered, her breathing labored and strained. "I'd tell you that I think of you as more than just a friend, that I care about you more than words could ever say even when you piss me off. If I could do things over again I'd tell you that and you'd just have to deal with it."

"I would imagine I'm dealing with it now," Sesshoumaru replied as ignored the weird wiggling on his stomach to answer her smile with his own. "But Kagome, why are you-"

"Just remember Sesshoumaru," she whispered as another tear followed behind the first. "This wasn't your fault. You did the best you could and I will never, ever forget it." She leaned up and kissed him before he could speak, her lips trembling as she gently pressed them to his. Sesshoumaru frowned at their coppery taste, his eyes widening as the scent of Kagome's blood finally reached his nose.

"Kagome, where are you hu-"

She was jerked away before he could finish, the weird wiggling feeling he had earlier caused by the tentacle end that speared through the hole in her stomach. One last tear fell from her eyes and landed on the edge of the puddle of blood he sat in, her crimson life stream rapidly soaking into his clothes. Deling jumped upwards through the hole in the ceiling and was followed by his numerous fiends and youkai before Kagome disappeared. Sesshoumaru stood quickly and gazed upward, as did Shippou and Inuyasha. They waited for what remained of Kagome's body to fall through the hole, expecting her blood and tissue to rain down on them like stars in the sky, but it never came. Soon all fell silent around them with little more than Souta's desperate sobs to keep them company.

Inuyasha sighed brokenly, his voice wavering with emotion as he jumped the distance to Souta and ripped his gag to shreds. He expected the teenager to scream, fight or do something but Souta merely passed out. "Poor kid," Inuyasha mumbled as he picked up Souta's dead weight and slung him over his shoulder. "He's been through a lot lately. Hey Sesshoumaru," he said as he glanced at his brother. "What...what do we do now?"

But Sesshoumaru never answered, his gaze never leaving the hole as emotions he had long forgotten swirled in his polished golden eyes.

(End Chapter)

Author's Notes:

SF: Ok people, that was chapter eighteen. Guess what I found out?

Inu-chan: That your brain is really pink cotton candy?

Miroku: That you're underwear's made of pink cotton candy?

Sango: Pervert!

**WHAM**!

Miroku: (from his new hole in the floor) My dear (ow) Sango. You're aim is as impeccable as always.

Sesshou: Get to the point crossbreed before the slayer kills the monk.

SF: Right. Anyway, I was going through the chapter map for this story and guess what? It's only got five chapters left!

Inu cast: Yay! (Tango music plays as confetti falls from the rafters)

SF: I know! I'm thrilled about it too. Then I can go on to the other stories, like A Light and Second Chance. I'm sure you guys will be thrilled about that! Um, anyway, Kagome's white dress and a few of the review responses are below. (Dances into the crowd) It's good to be back!

Shippou: Now we're heading back to Esthar to take Souta home to his folks. I swear, every day I hear Kagome's laugh. Sometimes I look in the mirror and I can see her smiling at me. Why? Why would she give her _life_ for _Sesshoumaru_! Of all people, he's the last one to appreciate such a sacrifice from her. That's not all we're having to deal with. Inuyasha's got problems of his own too so everyone's grieving...except Sesshoumaru. I'm going to find that heartless bastard and give him a piece of my mind.

Next chapter: Chapter Nineteen: Seraphim

(Kagome's costume) Yuna: White Mage Dressphere: (www (dot) ffx2 (dot) com (slash) whitemage)


	19. Seraphim

Disclaimer: I don't own it. The end. (Sniff)

Chapter Nineteen: Seraphim

He missed her.

As strange as it was (never mind the fact that he was only an intricate program consisting of silicone, copper and wiring), he truly _missed_ his little summoner.

'Oh alright,' ART thought to himself as his robotic camera eye scanned the empty cafeteria. 'I miss her taiyoukai as well. It's good that the two of them are so close. They passed my tests with flying colors so I'm confidant that he will help her to do well.' He stopped when the burglar alarm was tripped on one of his secondary systems. He turned his attention to one of the few operating outside cameras and sighed as disappointment sank into his circuits.

'Perhaps I angered the taiyoukai more than I expected,' ART said sadly. He watched as a small troop of SeeD officers stood outside one of the entrance doors buried within the massive mountainside. Esthar scientists sat back and waited while the technicians and military personnel discussed entrance through the heavy steel door.

'The tai told them about me. I just know it.' If ART could have pouted he would have, but chose instead to activate the emergency procedures set in place two and a half centuries before.

'I knew it would come to this,' ART said as one of three green lights flickered on in the library. 'And though I know I will feel no pain, I do regret not seeing my little seraphim one last time.' Another green light flickered on, this one inside Dr. Gippal's office on the lower floors. The last light came to life just as the dynamite blasted the mountain door off of it's hinges.

'No one else shall come through that door,' ART vowed as the first explosion rocked the underground facility. 'No one else will see the secrets of this place. But there is still one last thing I have to do.' He loaded a single message to the small headset Kagome used to see him, using what little power he still had to hold back the base's destruction long enough for the message to be sent. ART watched the last image on his viewscreen, his gentle laughter one of the last sounds in the base as the Esthar technicians scrambled for cover when the open doorway vomited debris all over them. He turned away from it and embraced the flames, explosion after explosion ripping through the delicate carvings that lined the hallways and turned the bones on the floor and the blood on the wall a crisp black.

'I did my best Dr. Gippal,' was his last thought as the flames licked greedily at his motherboard and circuits. 'Goodbye Kagome...'

oOo

_Pain._

_I should_ _be used to it by now. I've been shot, stabbed, set on fire and nearly dismembered. My arm was almost severed, I nearly drowned, my tail's been pulled (my childhood **was** spent with Inuyasha after all) and I've had more broken bones than I can count..._

_And still, there has been no greater pain than the one I feel right now. _

_I do not remember our journey back to the Black Dragon but I do remember Almasy's dismayed shriek when she found us without Kagome. Without Kagome...it sounds as if we left her someplace and forgot to retrieve her. Never would it hint at the fact that she is **gone**, truly gone and now I realize how stupid I really am. Now I look back on every smile and laugh she gave me with the reverence of one glancing upon a great king's royal treasures. How I could not have noticed these great and terrible things is beyond me but I wish I could turn back time. _

_Not even after my mother's death have I felt such mind numbing, paralyzing grief for someone and I hope to never feel it again. It feels as if something has ripped a hole through me and I'm not sure how to handle it. I retired to my room soon after our return to the Garden and left the others to debrief Headmaster Leonheart. For days I sat on the edge of my bed, staring at the whiteness of the wall before me before I finally stood up and changed. Imagine my reaction when_, _as I prepared to bathe for the first time in days, I found her blood staining my clothing. _

_My black shirt and pants hid the proof of my failure and I once again found myself staring, this time at the full length mirror in the bathroom, at myself and my once white underclothes. Her blood had soaked through the porous dark uniform and stained my boxers and undershirt a dark coppery red. Her scent engulfed me then, leaving me stunned and unable to tear myself away._

_I remember some of Inuyasha then, though I do not remember what, and once again I found myself in my room, clean and fully dressed in a pair of silk pyjamas._

_I...The kitsune...Why can I not be left in peace?_

Shippou stood in Sesshoumaru's open doorway, his fists balled and seething at the silent youkai as he stood there and stared out the window at the world beyond. 'All he ever does is stand there,' Shippou growled in blind hatred. 'He doesn't even **CARE** that Kagome's parents will be here soon! The entire Garden is in mourning and all he's doing is STANDING THERE!'

"Say what you will and leave," Sesshoumaru growled softly, his voice his only acknowledgment of Shippou's presence. "I do not wish for company at this time."

"I frankly don't give a damn you selfish bastard," Shippou growled before he could gain control of himself. He shook as his anger took over him, his fist clenched so tightly dark blood began to seep through his clawed fingers. "Do you know what's going on around you? Do you even **care**! Everyone in the Garden's hurting over this, so much so that the student body voted not only to use the Garden to take Souta home, but to attend the memorial Esthar's having in her honor! Hell, even Inuyasha's trying to help when he should be trying to find his mate!"

Shippou frowned when Sesshoumaru remained unresponsive, his aura unreadable as he continued to stand with his back to him. "Kagome had to be in-fucking-sane." That grasped Sesshoumaru's attention, his inner youkai's hackles raised as he turned to glare at the offending kitsune. Shippou stood unafraid, his darker side itching for a fight as he steam rolled ahead. "You're a royal pain, a selfish bastard and I bet you thought that since she took that oath with you it was her place to die in your stead. You probably wouldn't have died anyway, pity on the world. You would have survived and made everyday a living hell for the rest of her life. You didn't deserve the precious gift she gave you!" Shippou finally sobbed, his broken and bleeding heart exposed for the taiyoukai to see.

"That's enough Shippou." Shippou trembled when Inuyasha's hand settled on his shoulder, giving him a reassuring pat before stepping between him and Sesshoumaru. "How about you calm down and lay off for a while?"

"Why are you defending him?" Shippou shot back with an accused and bloody finger pointed toward Sesshoumaru. "This is his fault and you know-"

"This is not his fault and _you_ know it," Inuyasha interrupted with a shake of his head. "Kagome chose. She could have just shouted to him, or for all we know she could have purified the danger or raised some sort of barrier or turned back time but she didn't. She chose to take that blow for Sesshoumaru and we can't jump on him for it. So cool off because your shit is getting old really fast."

Shippou stood in open mouthed shock, his finger limply extended as he sputtered to think of what to say. Sesshoumaru stood by as well, surprised that Inuyasha would defend him for even the slightest second before he found his voice. "What has happened to your mate Inuyasha?" Sesshoumaru asked.

"She was missing long before we got back," Inuyasha replied with a dull shake of his head. "No one knows where she is, and no one knows when she'll come back."

"She would not willingly leave you," Sesshoumaru replied stiffly. It was not in his nature to be sympathetic yet he treaded on this unfamiliar territory anyway. "She will be found."

Shippou's confusion heightened as Inuyasha nodded gratefully. 'What the hell...' his brain finally stuttered.

"Oh yeah, I came to tell you guys that we're here and the headmaster wants us to be waiting," Inuyasha said with a somber face. "Kagome's family wants to say something to us."

"Of course." Sesshoumaru glanced down at himself, caring for the first time in days what he looked like and was pleased to find himself in a simple pair of jeans and a gray t-shirt. He put on a pair of sneakers and followed Inuyasha down the hallway toward the guest end of the dormitory. Shippou trailed along behind them, the sudden unity between the two inu temporarily taking the wind out of her sails.

They entered Souta's guest room quietly and found Sango and Miroku waiting on them. They sat in a pair of chairs across from Souta's bed, Sango's eyes still tinged red and weary with Miroku's patient arm around her shoulders. Sango waved and attempted to quietly blow her nose.

"Now that's gross," Inuyasha growled softly to lighten the mood. Sango wacked his arm but gave him a grateful smile as the door opened once again.

"Team," Headmaster Leonheart said as he stepped aside. "This is Mr. and Mrs. Higurashi." The team said their hellos as the pair walked into the room and Headmaster Leonheart closed the door. Sango and Miroku jumped up so they could sit down but they walked past the offered chairs to take their places at Souta's bedside.

"How's our baby?" Mrs. Higurashi asked, her voice understandably watery and strained. "Has he woken up at all?"

"He's been through quite a lot Mrs. Higurashi," Headmaster Leonheart answered as he leaned against the door. "Our doctors have examined him and they believe he will recover in a couple of days. It will be hard for him, as the stress of what he's witnessed wears on."

"Of course," Mr. Higurashi nodded in understanding. "Thank you all for what you've done for our son." He sighed when Mrs. Higurashi began to cry, her hands covering her mouth as she attempted to calm down. "It's alright honey. They understand." He patted her hand reassuringly and gazed at the others in the room. "I just want to thank you, all of you, for being there for Kagome's last moments. I'm sure she was comforted with knowing that you all were safe."

'Why don't we feel 'comforted' then?' was the single question that formed in the minds of Kagome's friends. Shippou accepted their thanks with a sad smile. "I just wish we could have done more for her."

"But there was probably nothing you could have done," Mrs. Higurashi sniffed reassuringly. Mr. Higurashi nodded. "We just wanted to say thank you before we took our children home."

"Children?" Headmaster Leonheart asked. "What other children do you have?"

"Well Souta of course, and Kagome's body," Mr. Higurashi answered. "So if one of you would lead me to the morgue-"

"We don't have-" Inuyasha stopped when Mr. Higurashi stared at him, the human's dark brown eyes suddenly strange as he pinned Inuyasha with a surprised glare. "Ahem. What I mean to say is that we don't have Kagome's body."

"What?" Mrs. Higurashi gasped brokenly. "What do you mean you don't have her? We were told that you did."

"Then you were told wrong I'm afraid," Headmaster Leonheart answered with a sigh. "Kagome's body was never recovered."

"So you just left her!" Mrs. Higurashi accused with her voice raised. "How could you have just left her there!"

"We didn't leave her," Shippou retorted guiltily. "We couldn't bring her back. She-"

"Was mutilated?" Mr. Higurashi guessed a little too hopefully for the group's liking. "Well, tell me. Was she mutilated or her body destroyed?"

"Neither," Sesshoumaru finally spoke up as everyone else gave each other questioning glances at the Higurashi's odd behavior. "She was taken away from us. We could not recover her remains."

"But you saw her last breath right?" Mrs. Higurashi asked hopefully. "You saw her pass on, didn't you?"

"No," Shippou answered with a shake of his head. "But we assumed-"

"You assumed?" Mrs. Higurashi stood up and shouted at the quaking kitsune. "You **ASSUMED**! How could you stand there and say that you **_assume_** my daughter is dead!"

"Well, she did take a tentacle to the chest," Inuyasha grumbled loudly. "I mean, I don't know many youkai who could survive that so-**OW**!" he shouted when Miroku tossed a small paperweight at him. "What was that for!"

"They didn't need to know the gory details," Sango hissed at his crassness. "Jeeze Inuyasha, when are you going to grow a brain?"

"This is awful," Mr. Higurashi whispered as Mrs. Higurashi began to panic. "This is just awful. How could you not have seen her die?"

"You know what?" Shippou said as he shook off his nervousness. "You two are acting really weird. We know you're grieving, we're all grieving, but this is completely off. You guys care more about making sure Kagome's dead than the fact that she actually is."

"No human could have survived her injuries," Sesshoumaru stated, his voice deep and stern as he glared at the couple. "Yet you two seem certain of the minute chance that she could have. Why is that?"

The Higurashi's glanced at each other, the nervousness and panic in their scents and auras dampening to a nearly tolerable rate. Mr. Higurashi shook his head and, with a final look of resolution, turned to the others and said

"Because we don't believe Kagome's completely human."

o.o

Ow.

My head hurts. Why does my head hurt?

Ohhhh...I feel like it's stuffed with cotton. My chest kinda hurts too...what happened? What's going on?

I turned my head at a sniff from somewhere nearby. I can't see, and at first I thought it was because the room was dark before I realized my eyes were closed. I opened them and saw nothing but harsh white light. It flooded everything around me and I groaned when it stung my eyes.

"Kagome?" the voice sniffed again. I knew this voice but I couldn't remember how because of the fog and the pain that feels like it's everywhere but my legs. I opened my eyes again and again saw that blasted light but I kept my eyes open and attempted to focus on the dark blob in front of me. I tried to speak but groaned instead and the voice started to laugh.

"I'm so relieved," she said as my vision began to clear. "I've been so worried about you. You've been out for a long time."

"Wha-?" I finally croaked out. "K-Kikyou?"

"Yeah, it's me," she laughed again and this time I noticed how watery and nervous she sounded. The blurriness left then and I could see her smiling, tear-stained face staring back at me. She sat kneeling on the cold stone floor underneath us a few feet away and I couldn't help but ask why her hands were chained to the floor.

"Yours are too, Kagome," she replied as she did her best to point to me. "Just look down."

I looked down and gasped, but not at the enormous metal bracelets circling my wrist. The chains holding me to the floor didn't surprise me either. My shirt was gone, completely **gone** and so was the lovely gray sports bra that I had on underneath it. Yards and yards of white gauze wrapped around my exposed skin like a macabre tube top.

OK, now I was pissed. That was my favorite bra!

"What are we doing here?" I asked instead of fuming like I wanted to. I knew it wouldn't do any good since Kikyou was the only person in the room. Its not like she stole my bra and tossed it somewhere. "And just where _is_ here?"

"I don't know," Kikyou admitted with a tiny sob. "The last thing I remember before here was standing in the Garden gym. We stopped practicing when the announcement came over the P. A. system. The Garden staff said you...were..."

"Were what?"

"Dead," Kikyou whispered. "They said you were dead Kagome."

Holy crap.

I'm...dead...no way! But my last memories aren't exactly pleasant. Now I knew why I was missing my clothes.

"We were standing there, having a moment of silence for you when these purple tentacles came shooting out of the floor. We tried to run but I got caught and the last thing I remember before here, where ever here **is**, is being pulled through the floor."

'Poor Kikyou,' I thought sadly as she began to cry. 'She's been through a lot. I bet Inuyasha is worried about her.' "Hey Kik?" I asked softly. I didn't want to upset her more than I had to, but I needed to know how long we'd been here. "How long have we-"

"At least eight days," Kikyou guessed with a shrug. "I'm not sure about you, but I think I'm on my eighth day. You've been out of it this whole time. Every now and then this guy would come in and shove something down your throat, then toss me something to eat. I haven't seen anyone else."

Oh, now that's great. No, I won't get discouraged now. Maybe there's something good here. Ok, um...let's 'access' the situation, as Sesshoumaru would say. Thinking about him, and the last thing I said to him, made me want to blush so I foraged on ahead. Here we were, chained to the floor, in a place that was starting to look more and more like a dungeon. Kikyou was an emotional wreck but at least she was fully dressed, something that I was quickly becoming jealous of as a chilly wind blew past me.

OK, all that's bad.

But whoever had us here wanted us healthy, so maybe we could talk this guy out of letting us out of here. I told Kikyou as much and nearly jumped out of my skin when someone began to laugh.

"My, my," this new person said as he stepped into our limited line of sight. "Such hope and optimism. Are all SeeD this way?"

"Deling," I couldn't help but growl. My time with youkai has really influenced me. "What are we doing here? What are **_you_** doing here?"

"What am I doing here?" he laughed as if it were the funniest thing he'd ever heard. "Why, I live here."

"Well we don't," I shot back. "How about taking us home, NOW!"

"No," he said after a moment's pause. "I don't think I'll do that just yet."

"And why not?" Kikyou demanded. She pushed her weepy nature aside to grill him and I couldn't help but be proud of her for being so brave.

"I'll admit, one of you will get to go home," Deling replied nonchalantly. "The other one will stay here-" He turned and smiled at me, and I glared and spit on his expensive leather shoes. His brow shot up and he wiped his foot on the side of the wall.

"Charming," he growled in disgust.

"And when did you become a hanyou?" I asked as his fangs glinted in the harsh light. "You didn't start out this way."

"And how would you know?" Deling asked as he dragged a chair from somewhere nearby and set it between Kikyou and myself. He made sure we could see each other, but also made sure we could see **him**. "Do either of you girls know why you're here?"

"Um...maybe you want some Girl Troop cookies?" I offered sarcastically. "Sorry Mac, but we're too old to be peddling sugar snaps."

He laughed, he actually _laughed_ and it surprised me so that I forgot for a second to be afraid of him. His laugh was deep, rich and full like a cup of black coffee. In another life he could be charming but I knew what this guy was capable of and he wasn't going to fool me.

"You're so witty," he said as his laughter died down. "And so beautiful too." He reached out to touch me and I balked, leaning as far away as I could from his outstretched hand. He frowned and drew it back, then shrugged. "No matter," he said. "One of you will beg for my touch soon enough."

"You're nuts," I replied and gestured to Kikyou. "And she's mated."

"That's right," Kikyou chirped happily. "And I can just see your face when-"

"When what?" Deling cut her off. "When your mate and his friends come bursting into the room? Not possible my dear. This building is protected by all kinds of ofudas and wards to prevent any youkai from detecting anything that's inside. That means your mate mark is useless. Sorry."

"I know you're sorry," she muttered dispassionately. Good one Kik!

"Now," Deling said as he ignored her last comment. "I know when you were adopted Mrs. Endo. But you," he turned to me with an expectant look on his calm, almost kind-hearted features. "When were you? It's not on the public records."

"That's because I wasn't adopted," I retorted snidely. "Jeez, is this what we're here about?"

"Oh no, you're adopted," Deling pressed on and slid his chair closer to me. "Think about it. Does anyone in your family look like you? Does anyone have your hair or your eyes? You were told you have a holy power buried within you. Does anyone else in your family have that?"

"I don't know," I snipped. This dude was really starting to piss me off. "Then again, I don't care. There are lots of people who don't look like their families. That doesn't mean they're adopted."

"No it doesen't," Deling agreed. "But normally if a female displays the ability to purify then her mother would as well. Miko and purifying abilities haven't existed in over 200 years. It would have been documented if your mother had displayed the level of power you have. Why are you so special?"

"I don't know," I shrugged. "I guess I was just born that way."

"You were more than born that way," he said cryptically. I couldn't stop the cold chill that shot down my spine. He'd forgotten about Kikyou and I didn't like having his full and undivided attention. "You were created special, the brainchild of many intelligent men and women."

"What are you talking about?" Forget starting to creep me out. He **was** creeping me out. I seriously wanted him to crawl back into the hole he came out of. "Get away from me."

"Why?" he purred as he leaned in closer. I turned away and grimaced as his breath fanned against my cheek. Gross. I'm going to have to wash my face when this is over. "Am I...frightening you?"

"No," I growled back. "You're melting my face with your dragon breath."

I grinned when he jumped back and Kikyou giggled. He stood up and, without a word of warning, backhanded Kikyou. She whimpered and I cried out in sympathy when the side of her head knocked against the wall behind her. Deling turned back to me, all of his charming air evaporated as he snarled in my face.

"I've just about had it with you," he snipped as he grasped a lock of my hair and twisted it around his finger. "I may need you but that doesn't mean I can't hurt you." He glanced over his shoulder at Kikyou and smirked. "Or hurt someone close to you. It makes little difference to me. Either way I get to see you suffer.

"Now," he said as he sat back down and crossed his ankle over his leg. "Tell me what you know about what you are."

I looked at him cautiously, knowing now just how far he would go to get whatever answers he wanted. "I'm a SeeD," I said at last. "And I'm Estharian."

"That may be true," Deling agreed with a nod. "But what _are you_?"

"I'm Kagome Higurashi," I said and I couldn't help but be proud.

"Yes, yes," he said as he brushed this aside too. "But what are you? Are you human?"

"Yea-"

"Wrong!" He cut me off so violently I couldn't help but be quiet. "You're not human!" He laughed then, a short barking laugh that bordered on insane. Kikyou and I exchanged worried glances as he cracked up in front of us.

"Some of you might be, but you're not all human my dear," he said when he calmed down. "But I know what you are. Would you like to know?"

o.O.o

"What do you mean Kagome wasn't human!" Shippou shouted before anyone else could speak. "Of course she was! What's wrong with you two anyway?"

"Is there someplace we can discuss this?" Mr. Higurashi asked Headmaster Leonheart instead of answering Shippou's question. "I don't want Souta to hear."

"Of course," Headmaster Leonheart nodded as he opened the door. "Follow me." The Higurashi's and the rest of the team followed the headmaster to his private office and waited for him close the door and seat himself behind his desk before glaring at Kagome's parents. "Now what is this all about?"

"We adopted Kagome seventeen years ago," Mr. Higurashi told him and frowned when Headmaster Leonheart shook his head.

"There are no legal papers of this," the headmaster disputed. "It is not in the court doctrine either."

"That's because we never told our government," Mrs. Higurashi answered next. "We were...told not to. We wouldn't have anyway because we were afraid they would take her from us."

"Even so," the headmaster argued. "You should have still been able to tell if Kagome were indeed human. Why are you two so unsure?"

o.O.o

"This is nuts," Kikyou said for me. "There's no way Kagome's anything but human. We don't want whatever it is you're trying to sell."

"One of my ancestors used to work at a small research facility," Deling said, completely ignoring Kikyou to look at me. I'm telling you, I _seriously_ hate this guy but I felt like whatever it was he had to say was important. I guess Kikyou felt that way too, cause she didn't say another word. "I'd like to say he was a doctor, or someone equally as important, but he was just a janitor. The only thing special about him was the fact that he was a spy. Yevon planted him inside this Al Bhed facility to see what they were doing. What he found there was more than remarkable.

"I'm sure you've heard of Dr. Gippal, yes?" he asked me and I nodded. I could sense that he would know if I lied so I didn't. "Well," he sighed and leaned back against the chair's hard wooden back. "Lord Endo, not our Lord Endo but Lord Endo's father-"

Sesshoumaru's grandfather, I mouthed to Kikyou, who nodded in understanding.

"Helped Dr. Gippal on an important assignment. They were in charge of creating a unique weapon, one that would be able to steal it's way past Yevon's defenses. The God weapons were powerful but were too easily spotted. I mean, how hard do you think it is to spot three purple monsters over 8 feet tall?" He laughed again like what he said was really funny. He looked at us like he expected us to laugh with him but we couldn't see what was so funny. He shrugged and continued.

"Ah, anyway...where was I...Oh yes. The new weapon. Well, Dr. Gippal had a brilliant idea and Lord Endo was so impressed with it that he offered to assist in any way he could. Together they decided that a human female would be the least to draw attention, but she would also be the weakest person to send in with the enemy. The plan became to improve the female so that she'd make a better weapon. They needed someone that would either match or better the summoners that were under Yevon's control, and what better way to do so than to steal one of their summoners?

"They happened to catch a summoner/miko by the name of Lenne. They tested her and found a virtual wealth of power, so they kept her locked away on the lower floors of the facility-"

"How do you know all of this?" Kikyou asked.

"My father showed me the boxes of files my ancestor brought home," Juromaru explained easily. "They were stored in our old attic. He would show me those boxes and read to me the pages inside. Anyway, dearest Lenne was the first step in their research. The next was to find the strongest youkai and splice their genes together. That part was the hardest, seeing as how the Ultima and Omega weapons were already sold to finance the compound and the hospital built on top of it.

"Lord Endo produced the answer to that. He systematically brought youkai to 'test their skills' against the remaining weapon. The only one to survive a fight with the monster was a dark haired kitsune with an odd control over ice. He too was locked inside the compound and the testing began. Dr. Gippal and Lord Endo tried again and again to produce a creature but nothing they tried made it past the embryotic stage. That's when one of the junior lab techs came up with the idea for something else, a third part to this confounding puzzle."

"What part was that?" I asked. I had to ask. This was all too weird to be believed but I couldn't help but feel like maybe he was telling the truth.

His smile was infectious and I wanted to smile back. He seemed so friendly. Why was he such a monster?

"They decided to try and find an aeon. It worked too." His smile widened at my surprise and Kikyou's confusion.

"What's an aeon?" she asked.

"An aeon's another word for a GF," I told her and glared back at Deling. "But there's no way they could have managed to trap one. Not back then."

"Oh it's possible," Deling assured us. "Didn't you know that the very first summoning stones were invented by the Al Bhed? They've been perfected in the past couple of years but yes, they were the word of the Al Bhed's alchemists. They didn't have to trap one though. Somehow they found one that willingly donated its DNA toward the project. The result was a baby girl. They figured they would have time to create male child at a later time. The hospitality program for the facility prevented that. Somehow it released the Omega weapon and allowed it to slaughter everyone but a handful of people, including my ancestor."

"No way," I disagreed and shook my head. "I mean, that's not ART. ART wouldn't have hurt so many people for no good reason."

"He had a reason," Deling replied. "He was put in charge of you. Your well-being and training were left to him. He must have decided that the other scientists had to die so she could have a better life."

There's no way ART could have hurt so many people, I said to myself. There's just no way. I mean yeah, he went a little nuts in the end but he wouldn't have unleashed that kind of horror on anyone.

"Just imagine what the young heir would think if he had known," Deling thought out loud and chuckled. "I bet he wouldn't have allowed the program to last as long as he had if he'd known that it killed his grandfather."

"How do you know abou-"

"I know lots of things my dear." I gasped when he appeared in front of me, his path from his chair to my knee unseen as he kneeled down in front of me and grasped my chin. "I know that you can purify a room full of youkai and fiends. I have it on tape."

"So-"

"And I know that all of your life things have just happened around you. I can bet you by now the young heir knows it was you who set his hair on fire years ago."

"I didn't mean to do-"

"And what about the Blizzard spells that activate around you?" he continued and I shivered. He knew too much and, though I wanted to ask how, my tongue was stuck to the roof of my mouth. "You are that creature Ka-go-me," he hissed against my cheek. "And I intend to use you to take over the rest of the world."

"Even if I were this crossbreed, which I'm not," I added as he stood up and glared down at me. "There's no way I'd help you do **anything** that would hurt innocent people. I hate it for you cause you've done all of this for nothing."

"Oh, do you think so?" He reached down and grasped my necklace, the blue star pendant disappearing in the palm of his hand. "I have ways of controlling you."

"Oh yeah," I snipped. "How?"

That's when he ripped my necklace off.

o.O.o

"Well, you see-"

"No dear," Mr. Higurashi softly interrupted with his hand over hers. "I'll tell them." She nodded and Mr. Higurashi returned his attention to Kagome's friends, his dark eyes pausing over each face before he stared down at the floor.

"To begin things," he said with a heavy sigh. "My wife and I weren't even pregnant 17 years ago. We were married yes, but only for three or so years."

"Three years, two months and 14 days," Mrs. Higurashi reminded him with a sniff. Mr. Higurashi nodded. "As you see, my wife is better with dates. Aren't all women...as I was saying, seventeen years ago, we were a newly formed couple and were employed with the Esthar Historical Research Facility."

Headmaster Leonheart nodded. 'The EHRF huf? They're responsible for eighty or so percent of the historical finds of the world. A few of their people are the ones that helped Sefier and Sorceress Ultimecia find the Lunatic Pandora seventeen years ago. Would that have anything to do with this?'

"We were stationed on the Centra Plains then, so we were not around for the attempted Galbadian invasion," Mr. Higurashi continued. "There were rumors of a ruin of significant historical importance on the southeastern part of the island closest to the east. We found those ruins but discovered them to be nothing but an empty shell of a religious site. It was riddled with monsters so we decided that the mission would have to wait for a later time when we could come back with more of the Esthar guardsmen.

"Of course, that time never came. We found the blood trail of a researcher who had separated from the group the next day. We followed it and instead of the researcher we found an enormous metal door nestled in the side of the nearby mountains. No one knew where it would lead but we were all excited to find out. We used dynamite to blast the door open and walked down a flight of stairs that lead to the first floor of some strange research facility."

'Now why does this sound familiar?' Sesshoumaru vaguely wondered as his own recollection about underground research facilities reared their ugly heads. He glanced at the headmaster and read from the look in his eyes that he was thinking the same thing.

"It really was a wonder," Mr. Higurashi continued with a far away look in his eyes. "Everywhere we looked was technology, lots and lots of technology. We were astounded by how primitive, yet advanced, everything was and we couldn't help but be surprised that it all could be held in secret underneath the desert above. We set to work immediately, with a few of the Esthar guardsmen working on how to gain access to the third and fourth floors-"

'Those were the floors that were open to us,' Sesshoumaru remembered. 'We couldn't get to the other floors until near the end of our stay.'

"-and a couple of the rooms," Mr. Higurashi said. "There was a cargo bay that we couldn't get into and an office, right dear?"

Mrs. Higurashi nodded. "But everything else was ours for the grabbing, per say. We studied everything we could and learned so much about the tech there. It was like a regular paradise for people like us."

Mr. Higurashi smiled at the memory. "We studied various blueprints, circuitry and robotics for weeks and weeks at a time. We poured ourselves over everything and were granted the title of Head Researchers-"

"But that was only because we were the only ones who knew Al Bhed," Mrs. Higurashi giggled weakly. "So they really had no choice."

"That's correct dear," Mr. Higurashi agreed with a loving smile. He covered his mouth with his hand and nervously cleared his throat when he noticed the expectant glances of the others. "Things did not change until after we gained entrance to a Dr. Gippal's laboratory/office on the seventh floor of the center."

"_Mr. Higurashi?"_

"_Yes Lopez?" Mr. Higurashi replied with an expectant smile. "What is it?"_

"_We're finished sir," Lopez said with a brilliant grin on his youthful face. "We've managed to open one of the research rooms."_

"_Which one?" Mrs. Higurashi asked, her head popping up from a nearby box of files. "Is it the cargo bay on the first floor?"_

"_No Ma'am," Lopez shook his head. "It's the seventh floor research room. The one with that doctor guy's name on the do-" Lopez was forgotten as the couple breezed by him, their movements stirring his silvery uniform. The couple dashed to the elevator, then had to wait their turn as another group of researchers boarded and closed the door behind them. They could barely contain themselves and couldn't wait for the elevator to arrive. _

_They stepped off of the elevator onto the seventh floor and waded through a crowd of scientist to an officer stationed in front of the door. "Sir, Ma'am," the soldier greeted with a salute. He turned the knob, opened the door and stepped aside. "Go right ahead. We've already checked the room so it's safe to proceed."_

_Mr. Higurashi nodded and, despite the soldier's reassurances, walked in and glanced around before beaconing his wife forward. The room consisted only of a small cryo chamber, an unimportant-looking desk and a file cabinet. The walls were made of the same painted concrete as the rest of the facility with a colossal plate of steel dividing the upper half of the northern wall. He left his wife in the center of the steel tiled floor and approached the desk nestled in the right corner. _

_He rummaged through the file cabinet first, taking out one manilla file after another while his wife looked over the desk. The top of the desk was amazingly clean and free of dust. The pencils and pens were stored inside a beautiful crystal cup with swirled etchings along the sides. A rounded crystal paperweight rested on the center of the desk calender, the date it rested on unnoticed as Mrs. Higurashi weighed the ornate crystal in her hands. "It's so heavy," she remarked to herself. "It's pretty too."_

"_Don't become attached to it dear," Mr. Higurashi scolded fondly. "I am fully aware of your love for those babbles."_

"_I'm not going to do anything with it," Mrs. Higurashi huffed in annoyance. She scowled at her husband's back and returned the trinket to the desk before walking across the room to the cryo chamber. She gasped in surprise and nearly touched the cold glass before thinking better of it. "Andrew," she called out. "Come here and look at this."_

_Mr. Higurashi immediately closed the cabinet and waded through through the scientists that had finally entered the room toward her. "What is it Ellie?" he asked as he peered down at her. She pointed to the cryo chamber and the tiny green light that flickered at them._

"_Are you telling me that it's in use?" he asked and his eyes widened in surprise when she nodded. He reached out and touched the glass, then snatched his hand away when the green light flickered red and steam hissed out the sides of the chamber. The frost quickly wicked away before the glass opened and slid back, revealing a tiny baby girl. She was small, but beautiful with dark red hair and the tiniest clawed hands they'd ever seen. The other researchers crowded around them while she yawned and opened glowing green eyes._

_She glanced at the crowd around her and smiled then howled when rows of needles on either side of the chamber jabbed into her skin. Mrs. Higurashi gasped and immediately reached for the baby but Mr. Higurashi grasped her hands and pulled them away from the child. _

"_Stop it!" she demanded while the other scientists stood by. "It's hurting her! We have to get her out!"_

"_I know Ell but we don't know what it's doing," Mr. Higurashi told her with a gentle shake. "I know it's hard to see but the machine might be vaccinating her. Would you want her to get sick and die just minutes after waking up?"_

_Mrs. Higurashi calmed at this. She shook her head and lowered her hands before looking back into the chamber. The syringes were absorbed into the walls of the chamber only to be replaced by two more sets, each syringe either drawing blood or injecting various vials of either clear, blue or green liquid. The round of needles stopped just as quickly as it started with the red light on the chamber dying. The other scientists gaped as the tiny needle marks in the baby's skin fading into nonexistence._

_Mrs. Higurashi reached inside and cradled the nude infant in her arms, cooing softly to the baby and swaying from side to side while Mr. Higurashi took off his lab coat. He wrapped the coat around the girl and was gifted with one of the infant's infections smiles. He smiled back and traced his index finger along one of her dark eyebrows. 'She's precious,' he thought and yelped slightly when she gummed his finger. _

"_She's hungry," Mrs. Higurashi laughed. "Or she's teething."_

"_She's a marvel," one of the scientists breathed in awe. "The fact that she's survived so long inside that cryo tube..."_

"_There's no telling how old she is..."_

"_Or **what **she is..."_

"_We must begin testing on her immediately..."_

"_Excuse me," Mrs. Higurashi exclaimed as she stepped away from the group. "What are you talking about? What kind of testing?"_

"_A physical of course," one of the researchers said as their eyes began to glaze over at the possibilities. "Then we'll extract some of her spinal fluid so we can study her DNA, take a scraping of her brain cells to study her intelligence. There are so many things we can learn from it."_

"_She's not an **it**," Mrs. Higurashi hissed angrily. "And how could you stand there and say that! She's a defenseless child for God's sake! We can't just cut her open and start dissecting her! Andrew, tell them!"_

"_I really must agree with my wife gentlemen," Mr. Higurashi said as he stepped in front of Mrs. Higurashi and the precious bundle in her arms. "In no way would this be considered historical research."_

"_Of what do we care about historical research," one of the scientists retorted. The others behind him nodded in agreement. "We could have the next medical cure on our hands, or the next weapon. You can't stand there and say you're not curious about her."_

"_I am but the way you're proposing to learn about her is wrong. You would put the child herself through much suffering just to satisfy your curiosity?"_

_The scientists began to advance on them, all intent on talking reasonably forgotten as the thoughts of fame and fortune clouded their vision. Mr. Higurashi stepped back, his eyes watching the pack warily while Mrs. Higurashi shushed the crying infant. "You will give us that child," the nearest scientist hissed at the couple. _

"_Don't come any closer," Mr. Higurashi warned before his back collided with the desk behind him. "I won't let you do this. We're men of reason. We can find a better way tha-" He gaped as the floor abruptly gave way underneath them, he and Mrs. Higurashi standing on the edge of an enormous hole in the suddenly empty room. He looked over his shoulder to star into his wife's confused orbs, then grasped her and managed to pull her behind the desk as a group of youkai suddenly stepped out of the walls around them. Each youkai was dressed in identical white uniforms that copied the silver and pastels of the Esthar guards. The youkai stared at the couple with understanding shining in their lavender eyes. The floor closed up, the hole quickly replaced with the original steel tiles before one of the youkai stepped forward and approached them. _

"_Tell me," he began as he ran a clawed hand through his blonde, waist length hair. "Do you care for the child in your arms?"_

"_W-what?" Mrs. Higurashi stuttered as she shielded the infant away from him. "What are you talking about? Who are you? What happened to the others?"_

"_Those men are bad men," the youkai simply explained. "And they were deemed not worthy."_

"_What did you do with them? You cannot judge them so qui-," Mr. Higurashi began but his mouth clicked shut at the sudden fury that was directed at him._

"_Can't I? They judged her. Now answer my question. Do you care for the child in your arms?"_

"_Yes," Mrs. Higurashi answered quickly. "We would never have let them hurt her. Sooner or later they would have seen things our way."_

"_No they wouldn't," the youkai disagreed with a shake of her head. "They had no intentions on 'seeing things your way'. They would have hurt you two to obtain her. She has been through enough today, don't you think?"_

"_I do," Mrs. Higurashi answered with a nod, then cried out when the baby jerked on her hair. "Ow. That hurts." Mr. Higurashi stood by as the youkai watched Mrs. Higurashi gently unwrapped the baby's fist from her chocolate brown hair. She laughed and shook her hair out of the way when the infant reached for her again and the youkai smiled._

"_You're wife is a gentle soul," the youkai said approvingly. "I have no doubts that she will look after her. You however..." The youkai's eyes narrowed, then glanced toward the other youkai in the room. One of the copies walked toward Mrs. Higurashi and produced a bottle from behind him. He offered it to her patiently, the led youkai looking on in approval as Mrs. Higurashi hesitantly accepted it. She tested the formula on her hand and, after nodding at its temperature, proceeded to feed the baby. The youkai guided her toward a rocking chair that rose from the floor and waited for her to have a seat before humming a soft lullaby._

_Mr. Higurashi inhaled sharply when the lead youkai gently grasped his arm and led him toward the giant metal sheeting on the back wall behind the desk. "I have no doubts about your wife," he said again as he stared at the metal cover. "She will protect the child and love her as if she were her own. What say you on this?"_

"_Eleanor has always had a kind heart," Mr. Higurashi agreed readily. "And what she wants I want, whatever will make her happy."_

"_Really? I want to believe you," the youkai sighed, its purple eyes secreted behind pale lids before opening again. "But I cannot help but think that the moment you leave here you'll take her to some facility to be studied and probed. I do not wish for her to become a lab rat. I want her to live a normal childhood, have friends, grow up, and have children of her own. Will you ensure that if I allow you to leave here?"_

"_O-of course," Mr. Higurashi stammered, the hidden threat in the youkai's words not falling on deaf ears. "We would gladly give her those things." He started when the youkai laughed, his arm raising to drape around Mr. Higurashi's shoulders as if they had known each other for years. "What is it?" Mr. Higurashi asked in confusion. "What's so funny?"_

"_Forgive me Andrew," the youkai said as he made a show of wiping at his eyes. "Your wife did call you Andrew, yes?"_

"_Yes," Mr. Higurashi nodded. "And please, continue."_

"_Thank you. You see, that child is doomed not to have a normal life." The youkai sighed then, the sadness and heartbreak in that single sound enough to soften Mr. Higurashi's heart. "There is so much she won't understand, but at least with you she'll have some hope of formal training. That is what I really want. I want you to make sure that, when the time comes, you get her that training."_

"_We will but what will happen to-"_

"_The others?" the youkai finished, then gestured to the desk. Mr. Higurashi waited and watched as a small tv screen rose out of the desk's surface. The screen flickered on and Mr. Higurashi watched as the missing scientists appeared on the screen._

"_Now I want you to watch this," the youkai said as he pointed to the screen. "There is no sound, but I'm sure you'll be able to appreciate it all the same." Mr. Higurashi nodded, unable to do anything else as one of the scientists pointed toward a hole in a nearby wall. They backed away in a panic when an enormous monster rushed into the room and shook himself, slobber and bits of dirt flying around the room from it's hide. The hole it came in through closed behind it and one of the researcher's mouth's opened in a silent scream. Mr. Higurashi looked on, horrified, as the monster shredded his colleagues into little more than blood and tissue, then watched it stop to feast before moving beyond the room. The camera flickered off, then turned back on and focused on the creature as it stalked an unsuspecting pair of technicians. _

_The youkai with Mrs. Higurashi continued to hum, the sound soothing, calming and completely contradictory to the blood and carnage on the screen as the creature slaughtered anything and everything it came across. The monster tracked its victims ruthlessly, blood dripping down its scaley purple hide to splatter onto the cold uncaring floor. Mr. Higurashi watched as the last person, the Esthar infantry man who came to him not an hour ago to announce the room's availability, blindly ran into a padded room. He screamed and clawed at the wall when he realized he'd run into it and panicked when he realized the room had no other exit. _

_Mr. Higurashi closed his eyes and turned away, unwilling to watch the demise of the young man as the youkai patted his shoulder in sympathy. "I am sorry," the youkai apologized. "I'm normally not this violent but I needed you to understand. I cannot let you leave if you don't agree to my terms and I don't wish to make your wife a widow."_

"_So I don't have a choice?" Mr. Higurashi growled angrily, his voice taunt with emotion. "You'd have me ripped apart too?"_

"_No, of course not," the youkai shook his head. "I'd find a more peaceful way for you. You did try to protect my charge after all." Mr. Higurashi gaped at the youkai's seriousness, then frowned and shook his head. _

"_Th-that won't be necessary," Mr. Higurashi finally said. "I will take care of her-"_

"_You will pass her off as your own."_

"_We can't," Mr. Higurashi disagreed. "No one would believe a youkai child is ours."_

"_She's not youkai...exactly," the youkai replied evenly. "Don't worry about her appearance. This necklace will fix that." He held up Mr. Higurashi's hand and allowed a thin silver chain to pool into his palm. A small sapphire star winked up at them and sparkled in the sparse light. "This is hers. Don't allow anyone else to touch it."_

"_I-I won't," Mr. Higurashi reassured him. "But how are we supposed to leave with that thing out there?"_

"_The weapon has been locked away now," the youkai assured him, then gestured to one of the other youkai. He nodded and opened the lab door. "You two have nothing to worry about. You are not to tell your wife about this. The child is only a few hours old and you have been here long enough for your wife to have had her legitimately. Do not fail me," the youkai warned, its narrowed eyes glowing a startling lilac. "I will know."_

"_Of course not," Mr. Higurashi assured him again. "We'll do what we can by her."_

"_And that is all I can ask for I suppose." The youkai paused before smiling at him. "Good luck Andrew Higurashi, and Godspeed." He quit the room silently, his clones quickly following behind him in a single filed line. The youkai attending to Mrs. Higurashi was the last to quit the room, making sure to deposit a loving kiss to the child's head before turned and walking away. Mrs. Higurashi watched him go regretfully and smiled at Mr. Higurashi. Her smile faded at his abnormally pale face and she reached up to touch him when he grasped her hand in his._

"_I'll be fine," he reassured her as he kissed her cheek. "Don't worry about me."_

"_I take it we can take her home huh?" Mrs. Higurashi guessed as she stroked the baby's cheek. Mr. Higurashi nodded and reached out for the baby's tiny fingers. "What do you want to name her?"_

"_How about...Kagome, after my great aunt?"_

"_Alright," Mr. Higurashi agreed. "Kagome it is. What do you think little one?"_

_The baby cooed then giggled as her hair began to darken. They stood by and stared while blood red hair became shimmering onyx curls and waves. Her claws receded until they resembled human hands and her eyes, which were the last to change, swirled between colors until they found a happy medium between blue and green._

"_It looks like she's going to be full of surprises," Mrs. Higurashi whispered adoringly and laughed when Kagome gave a happy shriek. Mr. Higurashi nodded as well before guiding his wife out of the room._

"When we returned to the ship, I reported the others dead and the birth of my child all in the same transmission," Mr. Higurashi finished his story to his astonished audience. "We were ordered home and no one was the wiser about what really happened. I told my wife about what happened to our colleagues a week after we arrived back home."

o.O.o

"This is just impossible," Shippou stammered as the others remained silent. "I mean, this just isn't possible. Kagome isn't youkai-"

"But we know she's different," Inuyasha reminded him. "Remember in Magic 101, when we had trouble scanning her?"

"Yes," Miroku nodded. "She couldn't understand why we were having such trouble and it scared her. There were other times as well but none that we didn't figure to be little more than her holy aura interfering. We never would have thought-"

"She didn't know, did she?"

All eyes turned to Sesshoumaru, who watched the couple lower their heads. "When were you going to tell her?"

"We prayed we wouldn't have to," Mrs. Higurashi answered him. "We wanted her to live a normal life. We wanted her to be happy and to know that she was loved, no matter what."

"But we knew that wasn't possible," Mr. Higurashi finished for her. "The youkai said so but we thought otherwise. We believed we could protect her. We were proven wrong."

_Mr. Higurashi gazed up from his paper and waved at his seven year old daughter. "Daddy!" she called out with sparkling blue-green eyes. "Watch this!" She grasped the highest bar of the monkey bars and swung upside down. She eeped and he laughed when her dress fell over her face. _

"_Honey, be careful," Mr. Higurashi called out. He laughed again when she peered from underneath her dress and waved again, her smile brilliant and happy before she grasped the metal pole above her and boosted herself up. Mr. Higurashi happily sighed to himself, leaned back against the park bench and enjoyed the afternoon sun. His thoughts traveled back to that fateful research trip and the results their decision had on the couple's lives. _

_The Centra Ruins Tragedy, as the newspapers were calling it, launched the Higurashi's and their daughter into the center of attention from the moment they stepped off of their federally funded airship. The press hounded them for months and months on end, only stopping when the opal mines on the outskirts of the city collapsed. The remaining years spent with their rare little treasure were filled with one exciting discovery after another. Their Kagome never got sick, never caught a cold and whenever she managed to get some sort of scrape or injury she merely cried until she tired, and her wound was healed by the time she finished crying. _

_And best of all, at least best of all to Mr. Higurashi, Kagome turned out to be a daddy's girl. She loved her parents equally but it was her cries of "Daddy!" that greeted him first when he arrived home, followed by her running from wherever she was in the house to his waiting and outstretched arms. At night she insisted on reading **him** a bedtime story and she would wait on him on the nights he would work late. He would come in and find her in his reading chair, her favorite blue quilt draped over her legs and her hands tightly grasping a book as she struggled to fight off sleep._

_The Higurashi's loved their little miracle baby, even more so now that she was a child with wants and ideas of her own. They decided to teach her a little Al Bhed early in Kagome's young life and were surprised at how easily she picked up on the foreign language. She learned to read early as well and poured herself over the volumes of history books stored inside the study. They sounded out the words she couldn't understand but otherwise left her to herself and her discoveries._

_Their biggest surprise came with the birth of their 'second' child, a bouncing baby boy they named Souta. Kagome adored her baby brother from the moment she laid eyes on him, never questioning why his eyes were different than hers. She watched over Souta while her parents were busy in the kitchen and helped whenever she could around the house._

'_She's so responsible for a child so young,' Mr. Higurashi mused as he watched the clouds drift overhead. 'And so loving, and so very special. I had my doubts then, but now...I can't imagine life without my little Kagome.' He frowned thoughtfully as he remembered the youkai's warning about sending her away, then shook his head and laughed._

'_There's no reason to send Kagome away,' Mr. Higurashi decided. 'She's happy here with us, and we're happy with her being here. I don't know what they had planned for her two hundred years ago, but in this era she can have a happy, normal lif-'_

"_**AHHHHHHHH! DAAADDDDYYYY!**"_

_Mr. Higurashi jolted out of his musings and was on his feet before he could think to do so, his expensive leather shoes thudding dully against the soft playground sand as he ran toward his daughter's cries. He arrived just as an older lady was picking up a small fluffy dog. Kagome sat crying on the ground, her bleeding arm outstretched and pointing at the yapping mongrel while the lady apologized._

"_What's going on here?" Mr. Higurashi thundered as he swooped Kagome up and cradled her in his arms. "What's the meaning of this?"_

"_I'm so very sorry," the lady apologized again before shushing her pet. "I'm not sure what happened. Skipper is normally a good little dog. He just got away from me and-"_

"_Does he have all of his shots?" Mr. Higurashi demanded, his concern for the woman's nervousness nearly zil in light of the pain his daughter was going through. He had little doubt that she would heal without a scratch but that didn't mean he had to accept it when she felt pain. "Ma'am, I asked you a ques-"_

"_Yes, yes," the woman interrupted suddenly as she jerked free a couple of papers from her purse. "Here they are. Again, I'm sorry. If we could just get the child to the doctor-"_

"_No," Kagome said suddenly. "Daddy, I don't wanna go to the doctor! They'll give me a shot! I don't wanna go!"_

"_Alright baby, don't worry," Mr. Higurashi assured her. He rubbed his cheek against hers to calm her down and glared over his glasses at the confused woman. "Let me see the papers." He read over the vet's report and nodded in satisfaction. "Why do you carry this around if it's so rare for him to behave this way?"_

"_I don't know," the lady shrugged. "Precaution I guess. But Skipper's normally so well behaved. This has never happened before. He's usually such a good dog-"_

"_Bad," Kagome said with a pointed glare toward the dog. "Bad, bad dog!" Mr. Higurashi nodded in agreement then asked the lady for her address before carrying Kagome off the playground. Kagome glared over his shoulder at the unhappy pair, then turned away and hugged Mr. Higurashi's neck._

_Mr. Higurashi drove down the narrow roadway, his fingers tapping impatiently against the steering wheel as he followed the old woman's directions to her house. He knew of one other brownstone in Esthar and followed her directions to the other side of the city. He stopped in front of the red brick building and gaped at the number of police vehicles parked around it._

"_What's going on?" he asked a passerby and frowned when they shrugged and walked away. Mr. Higurashi maneuvered his way through the crowd of on-lookers and found the old lady from the day before standing in the middle of two police officers. She wept brokenly into a pearl blue lace handkerchief. _

"_My poor, poor Skipper," the lady sobbed broken-heartedly. "My poor baby. Why would anyone want to do with to my poor sweet doggie?"_

"_What's going on here?" Mr. Higurashi asked a passing police officer._

"_Who are you?" the officer demanded instead. Mr. Higurashi gestured toward the crying woman. "I'm here to see her."_

"_Oh, well um..." The officer scratched his head for a moment, then leaned toward Mr. Higurashi and gestured for him to come closer. "Look mate, I don't know if I'm supposed to discuss this or not, but I figure you won't tell anyone."_

"_I won't," Mr. Higurashi assured him. "What's happened?"_

"_Dispatch got this call fifty minutes ago about somebody killing this lady's dog," the officer said as he gestured toward the lady and the lavish doghouse behind her. "Me and my partner were the first ones on the scene. We didn't think we'd need so much back up but we were quick to call some up when we took a good look at that dog. Boy, someone in this city is really sick."_

"_What do you mean?" Mr. Higurashi asked as he tried to see for himself. He could see little of the grass around the doghouse itself but what he did see was only grass darkened by what he thought to be dark brown stains._

"_The dog was still chained to it's house," the officer told him as he began to set up a mental picture for Mr. Higurashi. "The weird thing was that all of the dog's skin looked like it had **melted** off the dog. It was kinda folded around it on the grass and stuff. Not only that but the dog's bones and insides were FROZEN inside a block of ice. It's eyes were starin' at you, you know?" The officer shivered in spite of himself. "I swear, I thought it was **looking** at me."_

_Mr. Higurashi nodded and, after promising the officer that he wouldn't tell another soul about the investigation, walked up to the lady and offered her his handkerchief. "I am so sorry for your loss," Mr. Higurashi began with a calm bow. "Please accept my condolences."_

_The lady sniffed and nodded, then retreated inside her house with one of the officers trailing along behind her. "Poor old woman," the remaining officer said with a shake of his head. "That dog was all she had. It's messed up how sick some youkai are."_

"_You believe a youkai did this?" Mr. Higurashi asked. The officer nodded. "Yeah, without a doubt. I mean, only a youkai would be powerful enough to do whatever it was that happened to that poor pooch. I mean, I think a youkai did it. I certainly can't think of anything else."_

"_I see. Thank you officer." Mr. Higurashi returned to his car and drove back home, his abandoned handkerchief forgotten as a hunch began to blossom in his mind. He walked through the front door of his house calmly and smiled when Kagome hugged his knee._

"_Hi Daddy," she greeted with a toothy smile. "Did you go see the lady and her bad doggie?"_

"_I did baby and the lady was really sad," Mr. Higurashi explained as he watched his daughter's reaction. _

"_Why?"_

"_Someone...hurt her doggie last night," he replied carefully. He was surprised when all she said was "oh"._

"_Darling, aren't you upset?" he asked as Kagome sat down and continued to play._

"_Why should I be Daddy?" she asked innocently. Mrs. Higurashi stepped out of the kitchen and looked on while she dried her hands._

"_Because that lady lost her only friend," Mr. Higurashi told her as he kneeled down beside her. "She's all alone now. Her doggie was her only company."_

"_Oh. I'm sorry Daddy."_

"_That's alright baby girl," he replied with an affectionate pat on her head. "You didn't know."_

"_Do you think she'll forgive me?" she asked. Mr. Higurashi glanced down and noticed the tears welling in her teal eyes._

"_Forgive you for what?" he asked before she sniffed. He hugged her when she began to cry and barely heard her say,_

"_I punished the bad doggie and now the lady's sad."_

)-(

"OK," Shippou said with his hands thrown in the air. "Out of everything I've heard today, there's no way you're going to convince me that Kagome killed some defenseless dog."

"You don't have to believe it," Mr. Higurashi snapped pointedly. "I don't care if you do or not. Kagome described what she did to that poor animal and I believe her."

"Look, that's just nuts," Sango retorted as she stood up and took her place beside Shippou. "I mean, Kagome wouldn't hurt a fly, no less a dog that bit her. She's so gentle, so mild and..."

Sesshoumaru allowed the conversation to drone on without him, choosing instead to consider what the Higurashi's had told them. They seemed like honest people to him, so why would they lie on their _deceased_ daughter? And why would they do it to people who knew her so well? He considered every possibility and that, other than the time at the E. S., he had not heard of her being ill at any time. The computers at the E. S. questioned his every movement but they allowed Kagome to pass without incident.

Passageways that seemed to open through his genius at the time now appeared to be parts of a maze and he and Kagome were merely the unwitting rats trying to get to the proverbial cheese. The Emergency Shelter's outside operations responded to both his and Kagome's DNA and until now it never occurred to him that it might have recognized her DNA coding too.

'That could be what the injections were for,' Sesshoumaru mused to himself as the shouting around him grew louder. 'And thus her fear of needles. There are other things that I wish to know...'

"What of this youkai?" Sesshoumaru asked, his calm baritone effectively calling the argument to a halt. Mr. Higurashi glanced toward him and blinked.

"What?"

'Kagome may be adopted,' Sesshoumaru thought with a mental shake of his head. 'But you can tell by their reactions they're related.' "What of this youkai you spoke of?" Sesshoumaru tried again. He pressed his index finger and thumb on the bridge of his nose and sighed, the promise of a violent and long-enduring migraine already blossoming behind his eyes. "You described a youkai with blonde hair and purple eyes, yes?"

"More lavender than purple, but yes," Mrs. Higurashi nodded. "Why?"

"Did he appear in anything else?"

"Are you kidding?" Inuyasha huffed indignantly. "Here we are having a crisis and you want to discuss **fashion**!"

"Inuyasha hush," Headmaster Leonheart gruffly replied. "Sesshoumaru is on to something. The two of you mentioned a similar youkai in your reports."

Sesshoumaru nodded thoughtfully. "He was a few inches shorter than myself, without markings of any kind?"

Mrs. Higurashi nodded again. "And he was so nice," she mused with a sigh. "He was so attentive too. He truly loved Kagome."

"Not from what I remember," Sesshoumaru growled to himself.

"You reported an incident between the simulation and Kagome, didn't you?" Headmaster Leonheart asked Sesshoumaru. "Something about two altercations, one that resulted in you deactivating the program."

"Yes. The program disobeyed orders and-"

"Wait," Mr. Higurashi interrupted with a raised hand. "Are you telling me that the youkai wasn't _real_? That it was a computer program?"

"Think about it," Headmaster Leonheart said to them. "How else would this 'youkai' be able to release that monster-"

"It was one of the three God weapons."

"Right," the headmaster nodded, his face paling slightly at the thought of the monstrous creatures. "But how did you think he could release it, make the cameras watch it's every move and lock it away all while it stood beside you? Didn't you find that odd?"

"Forgive me sir," Mr. Higurashi fairly snarled in his direction. "But I was busy trying to save our lives at the time."

"You do realize what this means?" Headmaster Leonheart asked the SeeD around him. The others gazed at each other, clueless, but Sesshoumaru nodded.

"You don't like this any more than I do," Sesshoumaru spoke aloud.

"What?" Shippou demanded as he glared from to Sesshoumaru to the headmaster and back again. "What's going on? What don't you guys like?"

"Think on it kitsune," Sesshoumaru growled, his annoyance more at the situation than Shippou himself. "If Kagome is still alive-"

"I think she is," Sango piped from her corner of the room. Sesshoumaru sighed and held the bridge of his nose while the others voiced their agreements.

"That's all well and good team but if she is alive," Squall said to regain their attention. "Then that means Deling knows what she is."

"Then," Sesshoumaru began at the others clueless stares. "He planned what happened at the Desert Prison. He intended on taking her brother, knowing that we would bring her to him."

"Oh God, are you serious?" Sango gasped. "You mean we just hand delivered her? That all this might be our fault?"

"That isn't all," Squall sighed despondently. "If Deling knew what she is, whatever she is, then he probably has a way to control her. If so then...we may have to neutralize her."

"'Neutralize her'?" Shippou balked in disbelief. "Just what's he talking about Sesshoumaru? Sesshoumaru!"

"It means," Sesshoumaru finally said, his eyes closed and his shoulders slumped as his headache reached full bloom.

"If we have to fight Deling, we may have to kill Kagome."

o.O.o

I hissed, my eyes snapped closed as blood wept from a small cut at the back of my neck. And I thought I was mad before!

"You give me that back!" I shouted when he walked away from me. "You give that back right now! My father gave it to me and-"

"Your father..." he sneered at me, his fangs lengthening dangerously as his eyes began to glow red. "Do you know which father gave this to you? Do you think it's the one who gave you his last name? Doubtful." He sighed and tapped the star with his index finger, then grinned at me. "What do you know about the Al Bhed?"

"Why?" I asked. "You seem to know more than I do. Why don't you go ahead and say what you're going to say?"

"Alright, I will. The Al Bhed and Yevon weren't the only ones that existed in the world," Deling said while he wrapped my necklace around his wrist. "There were alchemists, powerful wizard-like people who created wondrous things out of junk.

"The alchemists lived by a set of laws, one being that the universe follows a greater law that is beyond our imagination. To understand, disassemble, and reconstruct under this law was alchemy in it's purest form. The ability to help others, create weapons or assist in farming all had their places in the world of alchemy. As much good as alchemy was to the world there were also pages of the forbidden, dark practices that alchemists were forbidden from performing under any circumstances.

"One of these," Deling said as he stood up and stood between me and Kikyou. "Was the practice of bringing the dead to life. After all, the human body was made up of common minerals and materials, things that you could find easily enough if you had the money and were looking for it. It was the soul that made attempting resurrection forbidden and any alchemist caught was punished by death.

"Some tried anyway and gave birth to a horror called a chimera. These creatures were half man half beast and nearly all of them were mindless, rampaging killing machines."

What does this have to do with what he was talking about earlier, I wondered. And when is he going to give my necklace back?

"But in spite of the horrors of the chimera, there were those that were much worse. Sometimes creatures called homonculous came instead of the loved one you were seeking. They were created without souls, but had incredible abilities. They were feared more than the chimera because of their ruthlessness."

He bent over me threateningly and I couldn't help but be frightened. "You wanted to know how I would control you?" he breathed as he dropped my necklace in front of me. "Well I can show you better than I can tell you. Drec ec ruf dra tyshat yna punh..."

I looked up at him wide eyed before I glanced at Kikyou. She shrugged from behind him and I shrugged back, the both of us confused but confidant that whatever it was he wanted wasn't going to happen.

That was before the pain began.

It wasn't too bad at first but it grew worse as time went on. Deling backed away from me, smiling, when the pain intensified and the breath left me. I felt like someone kicked me in the stomach and poured acid down my throat. I couldn't breath, I couldn't think and the last thing I heard before everything went black was Kikyou screaming my name...

(End chapter)

SF: Ok, hold up. Let me explain-

Inu-chan: Yeah, you'd better explain. Hop to it woman.

SF: Alright. I was going to do that anyway before you interrupted. Anyway, you guys have been asking me for the longest what Kagome was. Well here you go.

Sesshou: And you still haven't explained a thing.

SF: (sigh) OK look. Kagome's like a GF/human/youkai crossbreed. Inside Kagome is something powerful enough to shove her to the back burner once activated and that's what Deling just did. The Kagome we all know and love is gone and there's something new taking her place. But...anyway, that's it for this chapter. There are three or four to go (can't remember which one) so we're nearly finished with this ride. Oh, and THANKS to everyone who voted this story best AU for A Single Spark's annual contest. You guys are so great, and so patient! I promise to be a better author this year!

Preview of next chapter:

Shippou: So what do we do now? If I know Sesshoumaru and the headmaster, they mean what they say about Kagome. I'm not about to let them hurt her though, even if she is evil or something. Besides, we've got bigger problems now anyway. There's something going on at the old headmaster's house and we won't like what we find if the tingling in my arm means anything.

Next chapter- Chapter Twenty: She's the Blade

Al Bhed Translation-Drec ec ruf dra tyshat yna punh-This is how the damned are born.


	20. She's the Blade

Disclaimer: I don't own it so you guys (:points at lawyers:) cant's sue. But if anyone wants to sell it (digs in pockets) I've got a Bratz shoe and a Build-a Bear shoe. The lyrics below are from Sugercult.

_Don't you make a move tonight. You can only stagger. Once she's got you in her sights; you're the one she's after _

'_Cause..._

Chapter Twenty: She's the Blade

_And you're just paper..._

(I)

_She leaves me here in this field of flowers ..._

"I'm going to leave you here for now. It should be safe."

_On this porch of stone, surrounded by blooms of yellow happiness..._

"I'm not sure though so you've got to promise not to follow me."

_She's struggling against her orders..._

"Whatever you do, don't leave here. Don't come looking for me. And for the love of God..."

_She struggles with her humanity..._

"Don't follow the screams, please."

_Blood will stain her hands by the end of the day..._

"I'm really sorry I can't go with you. I...want to more than anything in the world."

_Yet she's concerned for me and what the black blood will do once its in control..._

"I have to go now. I've held It back long enough."

_She reaches out to touch me and I lean away from her clawed touch..._

"I...understand. Don't worry Kik. I'm not going to hurt you."

_She runs into the bright afternoon, leaving me to rest on Angelo's Gravestone...leaving me to wonder...leaving me to shiver as the screams of the damned echo above the ocean tides..._

(II)

Sesshoumaru stood quietly, his cool metallic eyes distant as he stood in the middle of the vacant room. Kagome's things remained where she left them as though waiting for her to blow in and resume their normal functions. 'Is there a chance of that happening?' Sesshoumaru asked himself and weighted a small black brush in the palm of his hand. 'If her parents are correct, that is assuming that their ravings **are** correct, then there is still the possibility that Kagome may be too far gone to properly insure her safety.' He sighed deeply, his eyes wearily drifting closed. More than anything, more than her friends even, he wanted her to be **alive **and sane enough to know him. He wanted to see that trust and affection she kept in her eyes and he wanted to...well, he didn't know what he wanted to do, but he knew it wasn't anything that would result in her death. The thought of finding her, only to run his gunblade through her made his stomach queasy.

'There is no sense in thinking of such now,' he said as he turned to leave. 'That problem will solve itself with ti-'

**BEEP-BEEP!**

**BEEP-BEEP!**

Sesshoumaru glanced over his shoulder, then turned around fully at the strangely cheerful beeping that suddenly filled the room. He tracked the sound to Kagome's nightstand, where he found one of the headsets used to view ART's holographic form. 'She shouldn't have brought this back,' he thought and frowned at the tiny yellow-green light winking back at him. He rolled the small headpiece between his index and middle finger, then shrugged and put them on. The clear minute screen slipped into place in front of his right eye and he twitched slightly at the static that rolled in front of him.

The sound cleared before the picture and Sesshoumaru was greeted to a recording of screaming before the harried features of a green eyed, blonde haired human appeared on the screen.

'Dr. Gippal I presume,' he growled to himself as the image shivered. It righted itself and Dr. Gippal turned to it at once, his features serious and frightened as a small cut wept from above his left eye.

"If you're receiving this," he breathed, then paused and glanced off-camera. He assured himself of something before continuing, his voice lowered but no less panic-stricken. "Then ART's decided that it was time for you to see me and for me to explain some things. Unfortunately, I can't explain everything you need to know, or will need to know to survive. ART is your caretaker so anything he's said is probably everything you need to know. Just remember that I did my best for you, what little I **could** do and I'm sorry for leaving you alone.

"If I had understood, _really _understood what they planned for you I would never have let you into their hands. By the time I realized what was happening it was too late. There was little I could do except release the Omega weapon. It was the only way I could ensure you'd have a normal life...a life that didn't include myself or the rest of the council. They're blood had to be spilled as atonement for the suffering we've allowed and inflicted on others. They would use you for their own gain and I..." A lone tear streaked down the doctor's face while his shoulders shook with silent sobs.

"I love you too much to do this to you."

Dr. Gippal shuddered violently and jumped at a scream off camera; this time the sound was much closer than it had been in the past. A vicious growl answered back, then all was quiet around him.

"In spite of what others would tell you, never forget," Dr. Gippal hurried quickly. "You're your father's daughter, you're just like me. You're an Al Bhed and an alchemist. Alchemists weren't meant to destroy and bring pain to others but to heal and seek justice. Become a true alchemist my dear...Pa drui vun dra baubma-" He threw up his hands and screamed before everything went dead, leaving Sesshoumaru to ponder what he figured to be the doctor's last words.

"'Pa drui vun dra baubma...'?" he said to himself as he removed the headpiece and returned it to Kagome's nightstand. "What does that mean..." He couldn't translate it and it frustrated him beyond belief.

"What's that?"

Sesshoumaru glanced up as Shippou closed the door. He frowned, slightly miffed at his temporary failure to sense the kitsune coming while Shippou tapped the headset. "What's this thing do?"

"Would you happen to know what 'pa drui vun dra baubma' means?" Sesshoumaru asked instead of answering his question. Shippou tapped his chin thoughtfully, then shrugged.

"Don't have a clue. I'm sorry Sesshoumaru but I know less Al Bhed than you do. I didn't care enough about it to learn. But I suggest you take this if you're planning on doing any research." He reached inside Kagome's desk and passed him her virtual library. "The Garden library won't have what you want, but Kagome's has everything."

Sesshoumaru nodded in thanks, opened the laptop and was searching through the archives when Shippou tapped the desk.

"You're going to have to take that with you," Shippou told him as he opened the door. "Headmaster Leonheart wants to see you."

"What about?" Sesshoumaru asked and followed Shippou down the hallway toward the headmaster's office.

Shippou shrugged. "I don't have a clue," he replied and stepped off once the elevator stopped on the headmaster's floor. "He just told me to get you 'cause he couldn't find you. Do you always hide out in Kagome's old room?"

"I do not 'hide out'," Sesshoumaru replied haughtily. "I do spend a fair amount of time in there. Tell me kitsune, why exactly are you allowing me to hold onto something as valuable as this library?"

"You might be able to help Kagome," said Shippou. "And I'd do anything for her."

"Quite," Sesshoumaru said, his eyes narrowed fractionally at the hidden meaning behind Shippou's words. He tapped down on jealously as it threatened to rear it's giant green head, then brushed past him and into Headmaster Leonheart's office without another word.

"Sesshoumaru," Squall greeted as Sesshoumaru closed the door behind him. "Just the person I wanted to see. Please, have a seat."

"I'd prefer to stand," Sesshoumaru said as he rested on his feet in front of the headmaster's desk. "You wished to speak to me sir?"

"Yes, of course," Squall sighed heavily. "It's always business as usual with you, isn't it Sesshoumaru?"

"I would suppose so," replied Sesshoumaru as Squall sat down behind the massive desk. "Is there any other way?"

Squall chuckled. "No, I guess not. Anyway, I've been doing some thinking, as I'm sure you have too..."

Sesshoumaru nodded. "I have."

"And I would guess about the same thing I have?" Squall nodded at Sesshoumaru's confirmation. "It's occurred to me that, if Kagome were some type of weapon or monster or...I don't know..._something_, then it would make sense to find out as much about her as possible. There is the slight chance that I may have to send soldiers into battle against her and to remain ignorant about her and her powers would be suicidal. Therefore-"

"You wish for me to relay what I know about her abilities?" Sesshoumaru finished. "I will do what I can to explain them but-"

"That's not what I want," Squall interrupted with a raised hand. "I don't want an informant. I'm sure the information you were given about her was given to you under the utmost confidentiality."

"Then what do you want?" Sesshoumaru asked, his tone edged and harsh from the suspense. "There is little else I can do for you."

"You can be the Garden's commander."

Crickets seemed to chirp in the silence, the air between the two thick with unease before a breathed "What..." from Sesshoumaru. "Surely you're not serious as to-"

"Why not?" Squall interrupted again. "You are, after all, the only one in any of the three Gardens that has a clue as to what we're facing here. You're an excellent leader and your tactical prowess has yet to be matched."

"Yes but..." Sesshoumaru stopped thoughtfully, his eyes downcast as he considered his options. 'To refuse him would be foolish,' he realized as Squall waited on his answer. 'Not only is he giving me power over the entire Garden, but he's placed what's to be done about Kagome into my hands.' "How long will I be commander?"

"Well that depends on how well you do," Squall answered with a confidant smirk. "I don't see why you wouldn't..remain commander for a while to come."

Sesshoumaru considered it a while longer, then nodded. "Fine, I accept."

"Great!" Squall exclaimed with a clap. "That's just what I wanted to hear! You assume command imme-"

"Excuse me sir?"

Squall sighed in long suffering and pressed the button for the intercom. "Yes?"

"We're receiving word from Headmaster Cramer on Centra's southern island. It sounds like an emergency beacon."

Squall seemed troubled by this, and he frowned his displeasure before pressing the button again. "Have you established contact with Headmaster Cramer?"

"No sir," the Garden staff member replied. "We've tried repeatedly but have received no response."

"Thank you." Squall leaned back in his chair, his fingertips pressed together thoughtfully before glancing up at Sesshoumaru. "Well Commander," he said expectantly. "You've heard what's going on. What do we do now?"

"How far are we from the old headmaster's location?" Sesshoumaru inquired as he launched himself into his new role.

"We're eight or so miles from his northernmost position."

"Then responding to his distress call would seem to be the most appropriate course of action," he decided.

"Alright Commander," Headmaster Leonheart agreed. "You decide on who to take with you and I'll steer the ship toward our destination. I'll call you when we arrive."

o.o.o.

Their landing onto the Centra island was uneventful.

Sesshoumaru, Inuyasha and Shippou made their way northwest from a small beach toward the small lighthouse on the true western tip of the continent. They walked through a stone archway, their travel as quiet as possible before Inuyasha stopped.

"Wait a sec," he said and sniffed around. "What's that smell? Don't you guys smell that?"

Sesshoumaru and Shippou sampled the air and were surprised to find a trace of lily filtering through the other scents in the air. 'How come Inuyasha caught this first?' pouted Shippou as he followed the trail toward a stone building ahead of them. Inuyasha continued to sniff while the full youkai went on without him. Sesshoumaru and Shippou opened the building's heavy wooden door cautiously, Sesshoumaru's gunblade drawn and ready before they ventured into the room. The sparsely furnished room was without signs of life and a quick check behind the door assured the duo of the room's security before opening the door on their left.

The scent of blood barreled toward them head on, and Shippou stumbled back and gaped at the carnage in the next room. The room looked as if it were a nursery in a past life with faded pictures of bunnies and other childhood inspirations still hanging from rusted nails pounded into the stone walls. Tiny cots lined the opposite wall, the threadbare sheets soaked crimson from the spilled blood of the SeeDs stacked on top of them. The faces of the dead stared back at them, their eyes stretched wide and their mouths gaped forever into silent shrieks of agony. Those that were missing limbs had them stacked beside them and there was a small amount of some_thing_...bloody and torn lying in a pool on the center bed.

"What on Spira did this?" Sesshoumaru wondered aloud as he stepped further into the room. He ignored Shippou's retching behind him to drink in what was in front of him, his primitive beast impressed with the slaughter of the hardened, well trained men before he finally left the room and shut the door behind him. He ignored Shippou again and crossed the room toward another door, this one south to the entrance. Cool beach air gently caressed his face. He welcomed the salty air readily, unknowingly breathing deeper than necessary as he tried to wash the crimson scent from his nose's memory. He opened his eyes, looked down and mentally groaned before calling to Shippou.

"There is another," he said and waited for Shippou to catch up to him before gesturing toward the body at his feet. "Is he the old headmaster?"

Shippou kneeled down beside the corpse and nodded, recognizing the elderly gentlman's round spectacles, gray/brown hair and somewhat overweight frame. "Yeah, this is him," Shippou sighed sadly. "God, what did all of this? This is awful."

"There is one missing," Sesshoumaru said after doing a mental head count. 'Headmaster Cramer and seven SeeD. That leaves Mrs. Cramer.' "Have you caught sight of a woman here?"

"Hey guys!" they heard Inuyasha shout from around the house. "Come here!" They sprinted around the building toward a second structure, this one an incomplete version of the house they just vacated. Inuyasha sat on what would have been the front entrance with his back to them. He cradled something in his arms and he turned and growled at their footsteps.

"Oh, sorry about that," he said before shifting toward them. "But look who I found." Sesshoumaru stood by unimpressed and Shippou gaped in shock as Kikyou shivered against Inuyasha's chest. "She was sitting here when I got here. She called my name and hasn't said a word since."

"She must have seen or heard something," Shippou thought aloud before reaching toward Kikyou. She flinched away from his claws and huddled further into her mate.

"Come on Kik. That's Shippou. He won't hurt you. You know that," Inuyasha comforted while he smoothed her hair down. "It's alright. Whatever happened here is over now. You're safe."

"I-i-it was horrible," Kikyou stuttered at last. "Th-the screaming and the ripping. It was everywhere. I couldn't get away from the sound. And the blood..." Kikyou whimpered and began to shake violently, tears streaming down her cheeks to soak into Inuyasha's sweater before she turned away from them again.

The youkai exchanged worried glances, then turned back to Kikyou as Shippou asked, "What about Edea Cramer Kikyou? Did you see what happened to her?"

Kikyou nodded miserably. "I know what President Deling ordered her to do. He t-told her to rip the headmaster's wife apart and scatter her body over the ocean."

"Ordered who Kikyou?" Inuyasha asked, though deep in his heart he knew the answer. He bit his lower lip and Shippou hissed painfully when she whimpered.

"He's got some kind of control over her. I don't know how but Kagome couldn't stop herself. It's like she's her, but she's not her. I-I was so scared! I didn't know what to do!" Kikyou bawled into Inuyasha's sweater, her hiccups and sobs echoing over the empty meadow.

(III)

"I'm going to be late!" a twelve year old Rin sang to herself as she hurried inside the small, dingy apartment on this cold winter school day. She struggled to gather her books together, put her clothes on and eat breakfast at the same time. She paused momentarily in front of a picture of her parents, her gaze wistful and longing before she continued about her day.

Shelinda left for work earlier that morning, leaving Rin to fend for herself in order to get to school on time. Rin inhaled a piece of toast, gulped down a glass of juice and quickly shrugged into a worn and old coat before grabbing her books. She burst from the apartment and locked the door behind her, her face scrunched slightly as Shelinda's lectures to lock it berated her in her mind. "Yeah, yeah, yeah," Rin muttered to the voice as she thundered down the stairs as she zipped through the flower shop's glass doors into the snow covered streets beyond.

Rin stopped to stare, her eyes round with wonder as she watched the snow fall in fat, lazy flakes to collect on the mounds of snow already shoveled along the sidewalk. She waved to Shelinda as she scraped at the snow in front of the shop before setting off. She pulled a wool toboggan from her pocket and shoved it onto her head. She 'eep!'ed in surprise when the hat fell over her eyes and she was struggling to lift it when she ran into something furry and soft in front of her.

"Oh my goodness!" she gasped as she jerked the hat up. "I'm so very so-" She stopped and gawked as the beautiful woman glared down at her from over her shoulder. Rin stepped back when the woman turned around, the oversized fur cloak wrapped around her small frame to pool on the slick walkway underneath. The cloak's hood hid the woman's hair and face from view, leaving her eyes to pin Rin to the spot.

"I-I-I," Rin stammered nervously before collecting herself. "I'm sorry ma'am. I didn't see you. I was trying to get my hat to-" Rin paused, then nodded. "Yes, I'm going to school now."

Rin fell quiet again, then blushed in shame and nervously grasped at her coat. "It's all my sister and I can afford," she answered meekly. "Its alright though. We have other things we need an-" Rin gasped when the woman shrugged out of the cloak and draped it over her. Ruby red hair fell over the woman's naked shoulders in waves that trembled slightly while she adjusted the cloak to fit Rin's small form.

"You don't have to do this," Rin told her as she eyed the woman's black jeans and bandaged torso. "You're hurt, and you're going to get cold. Here, you take it-" The woman patted her head, then turned Rin around and gave her a gentle shove back the way she came. Rin stood there while the woman walked away, her back to her and her chocolate brown eyes distant before she tore down the sidewalk toward the flower shop.

o.o.o

She was well aware of the stares she received as she walked along the streets. She ignored them all, her task her only thought as the annoyance sighed.

'_Thank you,' _said annoyance whispered in her mind. _'If just one can be saved, then so be it. Thank I'm grateful.'_

'You still will not influence me,' she told her weaker half as she arrived in the city's square. 'I have been locked away for far too long and I intend to have as much fun as possible.'

'_But this isn't fun,' _the annoyance sobbed.

Did this creature do nothing but cry?

'_This is heartless slaughter! These people don't deserve what's coming to them!'_

'And who said I would kill them?' she growled testily. She clenched her fist and hissed when her claws bit into her skin. She watched in fascination as the blood collected in her palm. 'Why shouldn't I though?' she absently inquired as she rolled the blood around her hand. She watched as the blood formed a grisly bracelet around her pale, slender wrist. 'Our master says that that is what we are for. We have no other purpose.'

'_That's not true!'_ her other half shouted desperately. _'If you'd let me show you, you'd see that there's more to life tha-'_

"Enough of this," she snarled as she threw the whiner back into her mental prison. "I've dealt with your weakness long enough. It is time you learn the meaning of strength." She raised her hands toward the heavens, willed the power that flowed through her veins to her fingertips, and smiled.

o.o.o

"Shelinda! Shelinda, where are you!"

Shelinda looked up from the cash register, brown eyes so much like her sister's worried the moment she heard Rin's voice. "Rin? Honey, what are you doing here? You've got to go to school." She gazed across the counter and stared at the large furry lump that was her sister.

"Where did you get this?" she wondered as Rin shoved the hood off her head. "You didn't steal it did you?"

"No!" Rin huffed anxiously. "Come on Shelinda! You've got to get under here!"

"What? Why?" Shelinda asked with a gentle laugh. "No, I don't think I should. You should take that back Rin."

"I can't!" Rin shouted with an angry stomp of her foot. "Please Shelinda, put this on! We don't have a lot of time!"

"Oh all right," Shelinda sighed as she caved in at last. "Let me see it." She struggled to untie the thick leather bow holding the cloak closed, then shrugged it over her shoulders. She tied the bow back and pulled the hood over her head before turning back to her anxious sibling. "There," she said before giving a quick turn. "I've put it on. Are you happy now? Say," she muttered to herself as she ran a hand along the soft reddish fur. "This is really soft. What kind of fur is this?" She gasped when, instead of answering her, Rin ducked underneath the cloak and wrapped her arms around her middle.

"Rin, what's wrong?" she asked. Rin remained silent, her eyes tightly shut as she gripped her sister. "Rin, I said what's-" Shelinda gaped as a brilliant flash of light engulfed them, then screamed as the earth began to tremble beneath their feet.

(VI)

The _Phoenix_, the blue and gold version of the _Black Dragon_, sailed toward western coast of Galbadia. The report of the disaster that left Deling City in ruins came to Balamb Garden the week before while pictures of the survivors and the rubble circulated the world via television. Of course Balamb looked to their new commander for assignments and Sesshoumaru gave them without fail. He requested another airship from Esthar's fleet and departed from the Garden as soon as possible. He left instructions for Headmaster Leonheart and the Garden to follow.

Sesshoumaru absently glanced at the pilot's screen, his claws clicking on the keyboard to correct tiny flaws in the flight plan before flipping the auto-pilot back on. He leaned away from the console and gazed intently at the laptop that contained Kagome's virtual library. He studied pages and pages of what he knew were the vast halls of Esthar National Library, a massive building that was crammed from it's black marbled tile floor to it's gilded white ceiling with books, scrolls, and comspheres that were thousands of years old. Each click of the mouse revealed more of the Al Bhed and their ancient culture and, for the first time in a long time, he felt as if he were finally beginning to understand.

"Hey Sesshoumaru?" Inuyasha asked as his head rose from the elevator shaft. "What'cha doin'?"

"Research," Sesshoumaru quipped mildly. He turned off the laptop and closed it before Inuyasha could receive a better look at the screen's contents. "I take it Almasy informed you of my request."

"Yeah, she told me," Inuyasha grumbled and sat down behind the navigation's console. "Now where are we goin' again?"

Sesshoumaru picked up a folder that rested on the floor beside him and opened it. "It's a ruin called Luca. Can you find that on the map?"

"Yeah, it's right here," muttered Inuyasha as he punched in the new coordinates. "Luca's on a small peninsula twenty miles or so southwest of Galbadia's Desert Prison. We should be there in an hour or so."

"Good."

Inuyasha watched Sesshoumaru as he turned around, his attention back on the laptop beside him. He clicked and typed, and forgot about Inuyasha, the auto pilot once more engaged as he continued to search for information. Inuyasha closed his eyes and leaned back in his chair, his thoughts settling on Kikyou as he inwardly cursed and blessed Deling. 'I was so close to sending Kikyou to Deling City to stay at the estate,' he thought with a mental shiver. 'Deling kidnaping her wasn't the best of circumstances, but it did prevent her from being in the disaster zone. I wonder if he was behin-' He looked up when Sesshoumaru growled, the sound less threatening and more annoyed as he rubbed his chin and glared at the computer screen.

"What's up?" Inuyasha asked and sat up.

Sesshoumaru shook his head, then turned off the computer. "Nothing. If I do not understand it then it is safe to assume you will not as well."

"Well gee, thanks for the confidence," Inuyasha fumed and crossed his arms angrily. "You know, I'm a lot smarter than you take me for. I bet I could figure out whatever it is you're worried about."

Sesshoumaru quirked a brow in disbelief. "Do you think so hanyou?"

"Sure why not?" Inuyasha shrugged. "And if I don't, you'll at least have a sounding board to bounce you're ideas off of."

Sesshoumaru considered it a moment longer, then relented. "Kagome received a message three weeks ago."

"From?" Inuyasha drawled impatiently.

"From the computer simulation in the research facility we were trapped in. The simulation itself did not speak but sent instead a recorded message from one of the scientists that died in the facility. He said, among other things, something about being an alchemist. He said something in Al Bhed and not only am I having a hard time finding the translation I also do not understand the importance of the statement."

"Oh, is that all?" Inuyasha chirped. "Lay it on me then. I bet you I know what it means."

"Alright then," Sesshoumaru agreed, though he seriously doubted that Inuyasha would understand a word of it. "It was pa drui vun dra baubma."

"Um..." Inuyasha thought, then grinned sheepishly and shrugged. "I don't have a clue as to what that means."

"I thought not."

"But," Inuyasha continued as Sesshoumaru turned back to the pilot's screen. "Kikyou and I had a conversation that reminds me of that."

"Really?" Sesshoumaru remarked absently. "What did she tell you?"

"She said that Deling planned on grabbing Kagome before what happened at the Desert Prison."

Sesshoumaru nodded, having thought of that long before Inuyasha mentioned it.

"And she said that Deling gave Kagome some sort of talk about how she was going to help him. He used-" He snarled, his eyes briefly flashing red before calming himself down. "Kikyou to control Kagome. She said that the last thing he said was an explanation about the Al Bhed alchemists."

'And here we are again,' Sesshoumaru said to himself before flicking the arrival light off. 'Again with these alchemists. What do they have to do with Kagome?'

"Kik said that afterwards, he took Kagome's necklace and whispered something weird. Afterwards Kagome went into convulsions and blacked out."

'Could it have been a spell?' "What did he say?"

"Um..." Inuyasha searched his memory, his eyes narrowed in concentration before he glanced up at him. "It was...Drec ec ruf dra tyshat yna punh, or something like that."

"Drec ec ruf dra tyshat yna punh," Sesshoumaru repeated. "'This is how the damned are born'...why would he say something like that?"

"Is that what that means?" Inuyasha asked, then looked up as the arrival warning sounded through the ship. "Hey Sesshoumaru, it's time to go."

"Right," Sesshoumaru replied absently. He turned away from his thoughts and landed the airship on what he knew used to be the entrance to the ancient Mi'Ihen Highroad. He stared at the steps leading to Luca's central square and frowned. Inuyasha's revelation bothered him for some reason, and he couldn't quite put his finger on it. The phrase recited itself over and over in his head, even as he left the cockpit and began issuing orders to the rest of the team.

"We are here as an assessment team only," Sesshoumaru informed them as Inuyasha, Miroku, Shippou and Sango stood at attention at the base of the cargo ramp. "Almasy and Saikai, you are the ones who are well versed in medicine, so you shall be the ones to assess the medical needs of the survivors and staff. Inuyasha, you and Makayura will check on the supplies and other necessities."

"And what are you going to do, O Great and Powerful Leader?" Shippou snipped sarcastically.

"I plan on going about my business," Sesshoumaru replied without a hitch. "I intend on finding out what caused this."

"Well, let's go then," Inuyasha said. Sesshoumaru nodded in agreement and the others fell out of attention to follow him down the stairs to Luca's central court. The city reminded them less of ruins and more of a city that still thrummed with life. The cobalt blue paint shone brightly on the polished railings, the granite stone beneath their feet was undisturbed by the vegetation surrounding it and the stairs themselves seemed sturdy and in good condition.

"OK, how old is this city again?" Miroku wondered aloud as they walked down the final set of stairs. Sango shrugged. "In the report it said this place was hundreds of years old."

"We are not here to study architecture," Sesshoumaru reminded them cooly. He glanced over the weeping and injured with a critical eye. The things that had to be done mentally listed themselves without his influence and before long he was barking orders to the others. They scrambled immediately, leaving Sesshoumaru to his own devices. He walked through the sea of victims, both youkai and human alike, and listened with half an ear to their stories. Each person had different injuries but the same stories as they wept their accounts of their encounter to the SeeD staff.

"It was horrible," one elderly owl youkai sobbed into her hands. "My mate and I were getting off of the train from Timber when this awful light lit up the sky. The next thing we knew the earth was moving and things were falling. My poor Marcus...he...he..." The youkai collapsed against the smaller SeeD official and sobbed. The young man holding her glanced up at Sesshoumaru pleadingly but Sesshoumaru continued on. Sango ran up to him minutes later and grasped his arm.

"Hey Sesshoumaru," she said as she began to tug him toward the opposite side of the square. "There's someone you've got to talk to over here."

Sesshoumaru nodded and followed her. He removed his arm from her grasp though. He wasn't repulsed by her touch but it reminded him of..._her_...and he wouldn't allow another to manhandle him so familiarly.

Sango led him to a wooden bench behind the statue in the center of the courtyard, where Miroku sat talking to a young human woman. They glanced up as Sesshoumaru and Sango approached them, their conversation forgotten as Miroku introduced them.

"Shelinda, this is our commander, Sesshoumaru Endo. Commander Endo, this is Shelinda and she has something important to tell you."

"Then do not leave this Sesshoumaru in suspense," Sesshoumaru replied as he leaned against a nearby bench and crossed his arms. "Start from the beginning."

"Um, ok," Shelinda stammered nervously. "Um..well, my sister and I have lived in Deling City for a few years now. Our parents died in an train accident four years ago, so we stayed with relatives that lived in Fisherman's Horizon for a year. When I turned eighteen we moved from FH to Deling City.

"I got a job at a flower shop, Rin started school and everything was fine. We were-" She sniffed and waved away Miroku's offered tissue when she began to cry. "I'm so sorry," she apologized profusely. "It's just, with everything and-"

"Your emotional state is understandable," Sesshoumaru interrupted impatiently. "And we will not blame you for it. We do need all of the information you have on what transpired two weeks ago."

"Right. I'm...sorry. Um, last Monday my sister was late getting to school. That's normal. Rin would be late to her own wedding." She gave a watery laugh, smiled back when Sango smiled at her and continued. "She went flying out the door as usual, calling goodbye to me before disappearing. I wanted to yell at her to be careful on the sidewalk because it snowed the night before and it was a chance that there may be some ice still on the walkway but she was gone long before I could say anything.

"I cleared the pathway in front of the shop as best I could then went back inside to get ready for business. I counted out the money drawer and was putting it into the register when Rin came back. She was rushing, her face was flushed and she had this odd looking cloak wrapped around her."

"What kind of cloak?" Miroku asked soothingly. "Didn't she own one already?"

"No way, not like this," Shelinda replied with a shake of her head. "This had to be expensive. It was red but not a good red. It was almost gaudy and it looked like something died on it or something. Anyway, she comes in and insists I put this thing on. I did and she threw herself at me. I didn't get a chance to ask why because this light came from out of nowhere. The next thing I knew the building was collapsing around us. I could hear car alarms blaring, people screaming and the ground rumbling when everything was over.

"I thought we were hurt but somehow we managed to get away without a scratch. Rin and I picked our way to the bus station, hot wired one of the buses, loaded some people on board and drove out of what was left of the city."

"Did your sister say anything about where she received the cloak from?" Sesshoumaru asked. Shelinda shook her head. "No, she never said anything, except that she didn't steal it."

"Then where is this Rin?" Sesshoumaru inquired, then stopped once the wind changed. He followed the sudden scent of lilies and damp fur, the others forgotten as his curiosity overwhelmed him. He left the courtyard and followed another of the stone pathways toward the south. He found a fork in the road, one path leading south and another leading east with a small fountain in the center. A dark-haired little girl splashed absently in the fountain's lipid pool completely unaware of the youkai's presence. She tugged the red fur in her lap closer to her when a chilly wind blew past, and she smoothed it down before noticing Sesshoumaru.

"Oh, um, hi!" Rin chirped as she waved at him. "My name's Rin! Are you one of the SeeDs that came to help us?"

"I am," Sesshoumaru replied with a solemn nod. "I hear you've had quite the experience." He sat down on the bench beside her. He felt that his normally cold and indifferent demeanor was out of place with her, and that she reminded him on someone he knew. He waited for her to answer him and mentally frowned when she sniffed.

"Yeah," Rin replied sadly. "My sister and I are homeless now. Everything she worked hard for is gone now. I feel so bad about everything."

"This was not your doing," Sesshoumaru's baritone interrupted. "You did not have the power to stop what happened to your city."

"Yeah well, at least my sister wasn't hurt," Rin said, then gave a light laugh. "I'm so glad I ran into that youkai before the blast. We would've been seriously hurt if it wasn't for this pelt she gave me."

"This youkai you speak of," Sesshoumaru asked as he reached out and touched the soft fur. "What did she look like?"

"Um..." Rin concentrated for a few minutes, then her face lit up with a bright smile. "She was really pretty, and tall too! She had red hair that was really long. I couldn't see her eyes because her bangs were in her face, but I could tell she was looking at me. Oh, and she was hurt too!"

"How so?"

"She had some sort of white tape around her middle, like this." Rin demonstrated on herself, using her arms and hands to gesture where the bandages stopped and began. "She had on black jeans and that, and that's it. Even her shoes were gone. Do youkai get cold?"

"We can, but it has to be an extreme cold for us to feel it."

"Oh. Ok then. Anyway, she told me about the blast. She told me to take this-" she lifted the fur covering her legs "and told me to get back to my sister as fast as I could. She told me school would be canceled. She said something else too...but I can't..." Rin's voice faded but the others in the courtyard began to grow. Sesshoumaru turned when someone shouted his name and he stood up as Inuyasha and Miroku ran toward him.

"Hey, Sesshoumaru," Inuyasha hollered as Rin jumped down from the fountain. "We've got some sort of problem here! You've gotta come quick!"

Sesshoumaru took a step forward and stopped when Rin grasped his hand. He gazed into her frightened brown orbs and relented, mindful of his claws as he gently tugged her forward. He narrowed his eyes at Inuyasha's mirth and growled a warning for him not to speak on the matter as he finally stepped into the courtyard.

The survivors all stood, those that could stand, and gazed into space. Each whispered something, their eyes frantic and pleading and their hands fisted at their sides.

"You know," Rin whispered from Sesshoumaru's side. "I know you from somewhere. Who are you mister?"

"Please," whispered the owl youkai widow. "Forgive me..."

"I didn't want this," whispered a man standing beside the courtyard statue. "But I can't stop..."

"He's going to be so angry," Shelinda sniffed tearfully. "I don't want to do this anymore."

"Tell him..."

"Tell him..."

"Tell him..."

"You're name's Sesshoumaru isn't it?" Rin said with an insistent tug on his hand. Golden eyes finally turned away from the abnormality in front of him and focused on the little girl.

"Excuse me?" he said. "I did not tell you my-"

"The pretty lady's scared Cap," Rin told him. "She said to tell you that she's sorry. She said to tell all of us that she's so, so sorry."

The survivors collapsed without another word, including Rin who folded like a sheet underneath the massive red pelt. Sesshoumaru picked up the child without a hesitant thought otherwise, his arms gathering both her and thefur she valued before glancing down at Sango. "What just transpired here?" he demanded softly, the growl in his voice no less menacing.

Sango narrowed her eyes at him and brushed aside his unspoken threat without a whimper. "I don't know. I wasn't here for it. The headmaster wants to speak with you." She held up the comphone, then blushed in embarrassment when she realized his hands were too full to take it. "Here, I'll hold it up for you."

Sesshoumaru nodded in thanks and waited for until he could see the screen to speak. "Good afternoon Headmaster."

"I wish it were Sesshoumaru. I've come to understand that you have your hands full down there."

"Yes, but that is expected," Sesshoumaru answered with a shrug. "Is there something you wanted to speak to me about?"

"Yes, there is. We noticed smoke coming from Clearance on our way to meet up with you and your team. We took a detour and ...it's a mess here Sesshoumaru. It looks like Clearance was just attacked."

"How did we miss it?" Inuyasha asked from over Sesshoumaru's shoulder. "I mean, we flew past Clearance not an hour ago. How did Deling manage without us noticing?"

"Board the survivors on the Garden Headmaster," Sesshoumaru ordered and waited for the headmaster's attention to return to the screen before continuing. "And bring them here for further treatment."

"Sesshoumaru, there _are_ no survivors. There's nothing left. No buildings, not streets, no cats, dogs, nothing. All that's left is this giant hole of black earth."

'No survivors...' Sesshoumaru's mind center on that single thought as the others gaped and gasped around them. 'What could have caused such destruction...'

"Hey Sesshoumaru," Headmaster Leonheart's voice called over the comphone. "I don't know what could have caused this but I tell you this: Whatever did this was extremely powerful, more powerful than the creature that attacked Deling City. I don't know what kind of new weapon Deling has, but whatever it is it wiped Clearance off the map.

"This can only get worse Commander Endo. We're going to have to find Juromaru Deling and destroy his new weapon...no matter what the cost."

(End chapter)

SF: Yup, this chapter is shorter.

Sesshou: (vanilla pepsi in hand) We see that crossbreed. Care to tell us why?

SF: Well, we really don't need a lot of information in this chapter. All you guys need to know is how strong this new threat is.

Inu-chan: Yeah, I'd say you did that pretty well.

SF (grinning) Why thank you Inuyasha. You can go watch Hee-Haw now. (Smiles as Inu-chan races offstage) He likes Hee-Haw. What can I say? Anyway, the next chapter might be longer. You never can tell. Oh, and as for what Dr. Gippal said, don't worry. Sesshoumaru's going to figure it out-

Sesshou: As if one had a single doubt.

SF: (:sigh:) ANYWAY, Sesshoumaru's going to figure it out and he's going to save the girl. As if anyone had a single doubt! The summary for the next chapter is below.

Inuyasha: This sucks. This plan sucks. I can't believe Sesshoumaru came up with something so stupid. I mean, normally I'm the take charge, 'go kick em in the balls' kind of guy but this is insane! We don't know what we're dealing with and he wants to run us on a suicide mission! As if Clearance wasn't proof enough that we were in over our heads. I can't blame him though. I want Kagome back too, and what awaits us inside Deling's stronghold is more of a surprise than we're prepared to deal with. We learn what Kagome's other purpose is and...wait...what's that asshole wolf doing with us!

Next time-Chapter Twenty-One: Sunday Morning!


	21. Destruction's Right Hand

For Disclaimer: Um, please see the other chapters. If you haven't been reading and this is your first chapter, then go back to chapter one where the disclaimer starts. I know what I said about chapter twenty-one being titled Sunday Morning. I thought it was a good idea until recently so I decided to change it. Some of you might recognize it, especially if you're a FMA fan.

Chapter Twenty-One: Destruction's Right Hand

_It doesn't have to be this way, you know_.

Sigh. What doesn't have to be what way?

_This bloodshed and violence, this needless slaughter. Haven't we destroyed enough lives to satisfy you?_

No. This world deserves to suffer for leaving me locked away for so long.

_You were locked inside me and we would have come to some sort of compromise had I been aware of your presence. This isn't Spira's fault_.

Hmnh. I hold no love for such measures of peace and mercy.

_But I do and this is killing me. Can you imagine what would happen to your power if I died?_

Boost to the point where I could become unstoppable?

_You would weaken and they would kill you. _

They would not be able to touch one such as me.

_One could...and he will...and I think I'll allow it._

You will **not**!

_Oh, but I will. See, unlike you, I haven't been holed up for the past 17 years. I know what monsters like Deling are capable of. I also know that he's not through with us._

Meaning?

_He wants more than a weapon. He wants power, pure and simple, and he wants to wield it without worrying about someone coming to take it. He wants unquestionable loyalty and the ability to rule over people's lives with a sweep of his hand._

What could be more loyal than an aeon?

(I)

Information poured into the Garden from all four corners of Spira, including the secluded frozen village of the Shumi, home of an exclusive tribe of beings that sometimes evolved into red-furred catlike beasts called Moombas. Each lead was carefully investigated and scrutinized, but the SeeD were still clueless as to Deling's whereabouts in spite of hundreds of thousands of tips from every government on the planet.

Nearly two weeks had gone by and Sesshoumaru and his team were beyond frustrated. Other small towns, this time on the continent of Trabia, were being demolished. The hundreds of survivors of the Deling City destruction stood in a class by themselves as other cities that were destroyed usually came out with little or no survivors. Men-Hadin, a small metropolis twenty miles southeast of Trabia Garden, had the most after Deling City, with five people lucky enough to keep their lives. Each survivor described the same light and the same earthquake that shook the city to it's foundations. Each reacted violently to Sesshoumaru on sight, the same apologizes and weeping confessions spilling from their lips before their vacant eyes slid closed and they shut down from the rest of the world.

Today, though, was a different day and Hojo couldn't help the spring in his step as he knocked on Headmaster Leonheart's office door. He entered at the headmaster's permission and opened the door to a familiar sight. Sesshoumaru stood on one side of the large mahogany desk, Squall stood on another and together they studied an enormous world map that lay on the desk's polished surface. Squall looked up and gestured for Hojo to approach.

"Tell me you have something useful for once," Sesshoumaru growled before Headmaster Leonheart could open his mouth. "And your useless attempts to sidetrack this Sesshoumaru will be met with a less than joyous response."

"Um, o-of course," Hojo gulped audibly. "I'm sorry to interrupt sirs but we have new information that may lead to Deling's headquarters."

"Let's have it then."

Squall accepted the file in Hojo's hands and read over it, his frigid blue eyes widening marginally as he held up a group of satellite photos.

"What is this?" he asked as he pointed to a white dot in the center of the black and white pictures.

Hojo's grin widened. "That is a heat signal, we think. It's a large one too."

"And what led to this?" Sesshoumaru asked as he pulled the pictures from Headmaster Leonheart's fingers.

"An interview with one of the Deling City survivors gave us a tip that we couldn't ignore. She was at the train station when everything went ka-plooy. She was trapped underneath some rubble for a couple of days before a group of people came along and dug her out. Until then, she said, the carousel on top of the Presidential Palace kept her conscious. She said the lights and the music played all night long."

"But...that's not possible if the entire city was destroyed," Headmaster Leonheart whispered in disbelief. "We were there and-"

"And the palace was most likely concealed by the rubble around it," Sesshoumaru growled in afterthought as he flipped through the photos. "These pictures were taken by the Esthar Space Station correct?'

"Yes sir."

"And they have been wired to you over the past weeks?"

"Yes sir, that's right. How can you tell?"

"Because only Esthar's Space Station could capture the destruction so clearly from so far away. And also-" He held up a few of the pictures and pointed. "They are the only ones that can document roadways being cleared."

"Really?" Squall said as he leaned toward the photos. The time lapse photos showed the roads gradually clearing over what looked to be four days after the attack on the city, leaving a clear path to the Presidential Palace. "My God...how did we miss that?"

"We are not in space Headmaster," Sesshoumaru replied before handing him the folder. "Do you have anything else?"

"Yes sir I do. Instructor Trepe assembled a small squadron to run surveillance on the area. They found the area teeming with rogue youkai, fiends and New Galbadian soldiers. They barely got away with their lives."

"I see," Sesshoumaru mumbled thoughtfully, then waved his dismissal and turned to the enormous window along the back wall. Squall watched as the commander's shoulders tensed, his back straightened in thought before turning around.

"I assume you want your own squadron," Squall said before Sesshoumaru could speak. "You will have to take the train in Timber to reach the city if you wish not to be seen. Would you like to assemble a team or would you rather I do it?"

"I will do it," Sesshoumaru told him. "The hike from the East Academy Station will be at least a day's time. Supplies will have to be sparse and the team cannot have more than 6 people."

"That's not enough," replied Squall with a disapproving frown. "We'll have to ask Esthar for one of their airships...again. (Sigh) Their president isn't going to be happy about this."

"Let him be unhappy," Sesshoumaru growled back. "I am not concerned. If we are able to get an airship, then I will acquire two more people and fewer supplies."

"Then it's done. Assemble who you can while I call President Loire. I will let you know if he'll allow another ship for our usage."

"Headmaster?" Sesshoumaru called out as Squall picked up the phone.

"Yes Commander?"

"Request the _Black Dragon_ for this," Sesshoumaru recommended. "There is no other airship with its radar avoidance abilities and I feel we will need all of the stealth we can muster."

(II)

Inuyasha stood in line with the others, his body at attention and rigid as Sesshoumaru paced in front of the rest of his team. They landed under the cover of night on the outskirts of Deling City, their descent uneventful and the air around them as silent as the grave. They could just see the ruined city just at the horizon and were surprised to hear the carousel music coming from the rooftop of the palace.

'Some people are just itching for attention,' Inuyasha thought with disgust. He glanced down the rest of the line at his friends and sighed. Shippou stood beside him, his auburn tail twitching in barely contained fervor that betrayed the calm and stoic look on his face. Miroku and Sango stood on the other side with three new additions at the end. Ayame, a red-haired wolf youkai from Kouga's tribe, Kouga himself and Souten made the last of the group, with Kouga's complaints at having to take orders instead of give them falling on deaf ear-

"Would you stop it?" Sango hissed angrily at Kouga after one too many 'dog-breath bastard's fell from the wolf prince's lips. "Quit complaining or go home, but stop it so the rest of us can think!"

Kouga growled one last time before falling silent, his icy blue eyes narrowed in Sango's direction before Sesshoumaru cleared his throat.

"I trust we have our supplies in order?"

"Yes Commander Sir!" the others responded as quietly, but enthusiastically, as possible.

"Good. Bravaldi-not you Kouga," Sesshoumaru snapped when Kouga's ears perked up. "The other Bravaldi. You and Souten stay with the airship and alert us to any trouble. The rest of you will follow me."

"What's the plan commander?" Miroku asked before Sesshoumaru could dismiss them. "I mean, what's going on?"

"The plan is simple." They listened, Souten and Ayame excusing themselves beforehand to head for the cockpit, to Sesshoumaru as he described their plan of attack. Their eyes widened one by one, each just as stunned as the person next to them as Sesshoumaru continued to the end. Finally he fell quiet, his golden eyes watching them expectantly before Inuyasha exploded.

"Are you insane!" he bellowed into the night. "I mean, of everything I thought you were going to say, I for sure as hell wasn't expecting _that_! Have you lost your _MIND_ Sesshoumaru?"

"I take it you do not approve?" Sesshoumaru quipped instead of answering.

Inuyasha snarled negatively. "Hell **NO** I don't approve! This is nuts! Has it occurred to you that you're waltzing into a suicide mission! We can't just knock on the door and tell the doorman, 'Hi, we're SeeD and we're looking for your president so we can arrest him...or kill him. Whichever one comes first. Oh, and can we borrow a cup of sugar'. And you say **_I_** don't think."

"That was not my idea Inuyasha," Sesshoumaru replied in annoyance. "And I did not say as much either."

"But it's almost as bad Sesshoumaru," Kouga said next. He agreed with Inuyasha (for once) and, despite orders from the Headmaster, he wold not follow some crazed dog to death if he could help it. "What makes you think Deling doesn't know about the sewers underneath the city?"

"I did not say he didn't know about them," Sesshoumaru retorted in exasperation. His middle and index fingers rubbed between his eyes wearily while he inwardly wondered at his decision to have so many drama queens accompany him. "My plan is simple. We follow the sewer lines the Headmaster's wife discovered years ago to a manhole outside the palace. We climb up the buildings-if they're still there-to the rooftop and cross the stage to the receiving area. From there we infiltrate the rest of the house. What is so hard about that?"

"Other than the fact that there are hundreds of New Galbadian soldiers patrolling the streets?" Kouga sarcastically demanded. "Or the fiends that have _always_ lived in the sewers."

"This conversation is moot," Sesshoumaru finally decided with a flippant wave of his hand. "Anyone who would rather remain here should do so. Cowards will be nothing more than a hindrance on this mission."

"That's harsh Sesshoumaru," Inuyasha said and ran to catch up with him when the older inu walked off. "None of us are afraid. We just want to make sure you're-"

"What? Thinking clearly?" Sesshoumaru finished for him. "Yes, Inuyasha, my thinking is quite clear lately."

"Yeah well, I hope so," Inuyasha muttered, his eyes darting to Sesshoumaru's back with concern. Strapped to his back, it's silver holster crossed tightly over Sesshoumaru's broad chest, was Junesei, it's crystal blue blade glimmering darkly in the sparse moonlight as it bumped against Sesshoumaru's shoulders. "She'll need us all tonight, that's for sure."

Sesshoumaru's shoulders stiffened but he never stopped as he made his way closer to the city. "Do not read more into this hanyou," Sesshoumaru warned testily. "This Sesshoumaru merely wishes to be prepared for anything."

"Yeah, sure," Inuyasha nodded in acceptance, then gestured for the others to be quiet when they reached the manhole. Sesshoumaru pried the steel cover off without effort, then gestured for Inuyasha to jump inside.

"Hell no," Inuyasha growled softly as he peered into the gaping dark hole. "I'm not going in there first. You do it."

"I'll do it," Miroku snapped and jumped inside before anyone could stop him. They heard his boots land on the wet stone with a barely audible **ploom**, then the click of metal against metal as he flipped the safety off of his shotgun. Sango dropped in next, followed by Kouga and Shippou before Sesshoumaru finally pushed Inuyasha inside.

"Really Inuyasha," Sesshoumaru growled as an eerie green light began to glow from his fingertips. "And here I thought you'd gotten over that fear of the dark."

"I ain't afraid of the dark you jackass," Inuyasha snorted angrily. "It was just stupid to jump into a dark hole, that's all."

"Sure," Kouga grinned before taking the lead down the dimly lit passage. "Hey, would you like to hold a teddy bear while we're down here? We wouldn't want you to get too scared without anything to cuddle."

"Kiss my ass you-"

"Enough," Sesshoumaru interrupted before things could get heated. Kouga and Shippou snickered one last time before leaving Inuyasha alone. They walked behind Kouga, with Sesshoumaru growling out directions every quarter mile or so when the pathway split or banked away. They continued this way for an hour or more before they reached a dead end and a rusted ladder on the opposite side of the wall.

"This is it," answered Sesshoumaru to their silent question. "From here we will have to be quiet, so no talking unless absolutely necessary. Radio silence is also in order."

"Right Commander Endo," Souten voice called out from a small earpiece in his ear. "Radio silence begins on your mark."

Sesshoumaru climbed the ladder, lifted the manhole covering a fraction, then scanned the immediate area. He watched as a searchlight shone from the top of the palace, his fingertips quickly lowering the lid when it neared him. He waited until the light went on before jumping down to the others.

"There is a searchlight but it is not hard to time. The only hindrance will be Almasy and Saikai's inability to lift the manhole cover. Kouga, you will be last to insure they are able to get out. Inuyasha, you will follow me, then Makayura, Almasy, Saikai and Kouga. Run toward the dark side of the palace wall before the light finds you. You will go on my mark. Is that understood?"

"Yes commander," they whispered with a quick salute. Sesshoumaru nodded, then returned to the ladder and the manhole cover. "Radio silence begins..." Sesshoumaru waited until the searchlight passed him, then growled a quick, "now" before disappearing from the sewer. Inuyasha quickly replaced him and one by one the SeeD members listened for Sesshoumaru's mark, then sprinted from the manhole opening across a street littered with blackened wooden beams and steel pipes, then flattened themselves against the wall alongside Sesshoumaru. He waited until the last person was across before pointing upward toward a small ledge on the edge of the palace roof. He pointed to Inuyasha and Shippou, then Sango and Miroku before vaulting toward the ledge.

Inuyasha struggled not to gripe as he kneeled, grimacing slightly while Miroku clamored on his back before jumping up. Kouga and Shippou soon landed after him with Sango slipping gracefully from Shippou's back and running to Miroku's assistance when Inuyasha dropped him like a sack of moldy potatoes.

"I don't see why **_I_** had to pick up the lecher," Inuyasha griped irritably. "There's no telling what he would have tried to do to my poor back."

"I only have eyes for the charms of women Inuyasha," Miroku calmly retorted while he dusted himself off. He smiled charmingly when Sango glared at him and quickly added, "However, my weakness has always been for the many wiles of my dearest Sango."

"Can we cut the crap?" Kouga growled as Sango evaded Miroku's groping hand. "We've got stuff to do and I can already smell something funny going on."

Sesshoumaru said nothing though his patience was rapidly wearing thin with his rag-tag group of followers. He searched the stage and the carousel for an entrance to the building and found an unlocked access door on the carousel's base.

"This smells like a trap Sesshoumaru," Inuyasha quipped nervously. Sesshoumaru agreed, as did the others before disregarding the feeling and entering the building. The receiving hall was silent except for their footfalls and the tiny **ding** of the elevator at the opposite side of the hall. The black double doors opened, the golden light inside inviting as the group stared warily within.

"What do you think Commander?" Sango asked and frowned at the elevator music. "Should we get in?"

"We may as well," Sesshoumaru determined as he stepped inside. "I see no point in delaying the inevitable."

"I do if it involves me dying," Shippou muttered once the elevator doors closed behind them. "I'd like very much to avoid that for as long as possible."

"Ain't that the truth," Kouga growled and winced when Sango crunched down on his foot. "OW! What?"

"Shut up," she snapped angrily. "Shippou, do you feel anything?"

"Like what?"

"That's a no," Sango sighed despondently. She smiled when Miroku draped a comforting arm around her shoulders. "I'm sorry. I was just hoping to see...but maybe that's too much to hope for."

"Perhaps not," they heard Sesshoumaru say as the elevator slowed to a stop. "There is something here that has her scent. However, it is not entirely here."

"Well where is it?" Shippou demanded. "I want to see it so I can ask where she is."

"It is here." Sesshoumaru gestured toward the elevator doors, which sprang apart with barely a squeak of the gears. They exited the elevator one at a time, everyone but Sesshoumaru awed at the grandness of the gigantic sparring room surrounding them. The paneling on the eight-sided room was of a rare tree from the frozen forests of Trabia, the wood stained a beautiful cherry to accent the many deep swirls and marks. The burgundy floor padding sprang up underneath their feet and eight beautiful golden silks streamed down the corners of the room.

"Welcome," said a voice that chilled them to the bone. "I have been expecting you."

The group turned to Deling, the confusion they felt evident on their faces as he sat behind a desk at the eastern edge of the room. He watched them cheerfully, the light from the antique lamp glittering malevolently off of his fangs and in his clear blue eyes.

"Please," he began as he beaconed them with his left hand. "Come forward. I don't see why we can't be friends in all of this."

"I can," Shippou replied furiously, his fists clenched at his sides as he struggled with his inner beast. Images of Kagome's 'death' played in a continuous loop in his mind's eye. "Slime like you doesn't deserve to breathe clean air, no less have friends."

"Now where is this hostility coming from?" Deling said with a jovial laugh. "I invite you into my home and try my best to make you comfortable, including relieving my guards for the night, and this is how I'm repaid? Honestly, and here I thought SeeD were trained to have a bit more manners than the rest of the swine."

"We ain't here to have crumpets and tea with you mack,"Inuyasha growled angrily. "So cut the crap and come on. You're under arrest."

"Under arrest?" Deling repeated with confusion. "Why am I...Oh. Oh yes. Now I remember." He glanced down at his desk and flipped over one of the many papers stacked on top of it. "I'm afraid I don't have time for that my dear pup. There's so much to be done and so many problems that need my attention. Now if you would like to help me with my recent problem then I wou-"

"Where is she?" Sango interrupted from the back of the group. Her hand twitched sporadically against her double barreled shotgun, and her eyes were narrowed to hide the dim glimmerings of hope that stirred within them.

"Where is who?"

"You know who," Shippou snarled back. "She was with us the last time we were with you. You punctured a hole in her stomach."

"Oh, you mean the young SeeD private. What was her name again?" Deling tapped his chin thoughtfully, then shrugged and dismissed the question. "She doesn't matter now."

"Oh yes she does," Sango retorted and shook Miroku's hand off of her shoulder. "You'd better spill it or I swear I'll shoot you between the eyes before you get the chance to blink."

Deling huffed irritably, as if her question unconvinced him greatly, and answered her. "If you must know, she's gone."

"Gone how? Like 'left' gone."

"No. 'Dead' gone. Mostly gone anyway." He rolled his eyes at Sango's heartbroken sigh and shook his head. "Now if we can get back to more important matters, like helping me with this-" Shippou surged forward and, without warning, flipped Deling's desk toward the wall on the other side of the room.

"Who in the **_fuck_** do you think you are you asshole!" he snarled in Deling's face. "Do you think we're really going to _help_ a bastard like you! What the fuck for!"

"Because, I have this." Deling rolled up the sleeve of his right arm and held it up, revealing what looked to be a thick silver bracelet around his wrist. A tiny blue sapphire star winked back at the group and Deling made sure of the group's rapt attention before brushing his finger against the little gemstone.

This time it was Shippou who jumped back as the floor between himself and Deling began to shiver beneath them. Deling stood his ground unafraid as the floor melted into a thick, liquid black sludge. The stench of sulfur and terror choked the SeeD and they found themselves overwhelmed and unprepared for the muck-encrusted _thing _that struggled toward the surface. Five slender digits stretched themselves out, the oozing coating glistening wetly in the sparse light. The hand grasped the edge of the padded floor, the fingertips leaving streaks that squeaked on contact.

Another hand followed the first before the arms could be seen, the limbs deformed and twisted in sharp unnatural angles. The arms pulled their owner from the blackness, the screams of the dying and tortured erupting from the hole as the ooze produced the rest of the creature. It paced the ground on all fours, it's glowing green eyes glaring at them dangerously before coming to a stop underneath Deling's downward palm.

"SeeD, this is my newest acquisition," Deling said and reached down to give it a gentle pat on what they could assume was it's head. The creature gave a guttural snarl of warning and snapped razor sharp fangs at his unprotected fingertips.

"Forgive me," Deling offered diplomatically. He raised his fingers and grimaced at the blood pooling on one of the tips, the thick crimson flow more of a deep purple than red. He popped the digit into his mouth and used his uninjured hand to gesture toward the creature kneeling at his feet.

"This, gentlemen-and lady-" he said as a quick appeasement to Sango "Is the problem, my GF." He sniffed suddenly and frowned, his nose wrinkling in disgust at the GF. "Clean yourself off," he ordered quickly. "You smell like the bowels of Hell itself."

The GF growled in insult, but did as he commanded, and the group watched as water droplets collected around its form. The steam rolled from out of nowhere to shield the GF from the eyes of those around it, but it couldn't hide the murky plops of goo that dropped from underneath the steam. Deling smirked at the SeeDs discomfort and found all of them (except for Sesshoumaru) with rounded, comical eyes.

"What is the matter? You all look as if you've seen a ghost," Deling teased.

"Yeah well, that thing of yours smells ghastly," Kouga growled in disgust. "What kind of power does it have anyway? The power to kill through smell?"

'Kouga states his ignorance,' Sesshoumaru said to himself as he kept his eyes on the steam. All of his attempts to read the creature's mind failed and his instincts were beginning to alert him to something strange. 'Why does it smell so _strongly_ of the stuff coating it? It is obviously not the creature's natural scent.'

"No, Kouga-sama, my GF does not kill through smell," Deling laughed jovially. "And I doubt it would ever need to. She is a handful though."

"You said you were having a problem with her," the previously quiet Sesshoumaru asked from his place nearest to the president. "What sort of proble-"

"You're not actually thinking of helping the bastard are you!" Inuyasha vented angrily. Kouga, Shippou and the other's readily agreed with him.

"Personally, I for one hope the GF eats him," Sango said from the back of the group. "I hope it eats him and chucks his bones across all of Galbadia."

"Hey, I like the way she thinks," Kouga smirked in approval. Sesshoumaru's quick glare silenced the group, their questions and objections no longer pouring forth as they turned to look at their leader.

"Enough of this nonsense," Sesshoumaru determined and pinned Deling with a pointed glare. "Clean your GF off and explain your reasons for tonight."

"Ah, a youkai of purpose," praised Deling. "I admire that. How different things would be if my father had been a youkai, or man, of purpose. Anyway," Deling hurried with a final wave of his hand. "We were discussing my problems with my GF. She is powerful, amazingly powerful, and her power only grows the more she uses it. Deling City was a fluke, a fluke that I'm glad happened or else I'd be homeless."

"And you're living arrangements mean what to us?" Inuyasha grumbled irritably. "I can't believe we're stuck hearing this guy's rambling all because Sesshoumaru's caught a case of 'Curious George'."

Sesshoumaru ignored his comment in favor of the GF and the blobs of dark matter that were ebbing away. He still couldn't see it for the steam ball but he could catch what he thought were the beginnings of it's scent.

"As I was saying," Deling continued. "She became more powerful the more she attacked, with Men-Hadin being her most powerful strike. Did you see the destruction she caused?" Deling threw back his head and laughed, his mirth welling from his throat to flow happily into the room. "It was beautiful, like a grand opera or a wondrous painting."

"It wasn't **BEAUTIFUL** you sick-"

"Enough," Sesshoumaru commanded, his hand raised in front of Shippou. "Nothing will come of it. Let the hanyou have his fun."

"You don't agree?" Deling inquired curiously. "Oh well. You're appreciation for art obviously is still in it's infant stage. My problem began a couple of days ago whenOh!" he said suddenly. "She must be ready now." His gaze guided the SeeD downward, back to the steam ball that was slowly dissipating. The steam carried the GFs true scent and the youkai of the group quickly recognized it as the GF shook the last of the water droplets from her body.

Deling reached for the back of the GFs neck and hoisted her to her feet. "My dear companions, this is-"

"Kagome..." Sango breathed in relief and barely conscious revelation. "It's her, right guys?"

"Who?" countered Deling in confusion. "No, her name's not Kagome. This is Seraphim. Seraphim, greet our guests."

She regained her footing, her bare feet soundless against the dark floor mat. She lowered herself into a crouch, wide black pants hung loosely from her waist to gather around her feet. The ruby tank top fit snugly along her torso, the golden dragons imprinted in the fabric clashing with the silver collar around her neck. She balanced herself on her right hand, silky waves of crimson cascading softly over her shoulder and covered one of her glowing green eyes.

The group stared in shock at Kagome's face, but it wasn't Kagome that stared back.

She rolled her shoulders back and gently shook her head, her hair whirling around her before being jerked, once again, to her feet. A growl of warning escaped her lips and she narrowed brilliant jade orbs at the hanyou on the other end of her collar.

"She's a bit strong willed at times," Deling apologized with a frown at 'Seraphim's behavior. "Especially with the situation I find myself in now. What do you know about this aeon, Sesshoumaru-sama? Do you know anything about what she's _truly_ for?"

"What's he talking about?" Inuyasha demanded. "Sesshoumaru, do you know something about Kagome?"

"_Seraphim_!" Deling hollered suddenly, the madness that he held contained now shimmering in his eyes. "Her name is _Seraphim_ not that weak little human you lost so many months ago! That human is **gone** and you'd better get used to it!" He huffed deeply, greedily dragging in mouthfuls of air as he struggled to regain his control. His eyes bled over and he buried his nose at the back of Seraphim's neck. He was rewarded with another growl and the sharp _zing_ of claws sharpening before they embedded themselves into his left thigh. He grimaced, pushed away from her, and frowned at her satisfied smirk. "She doesn't like it when I touch her when she's in this condition."

"What condition?" Miroku asked, concerned, as the others gave Kagome a studying glance. "What's wrong with her?"

"Nothing's wrong," Deling calmly assured them. "She's just doing exactly what she's supposed to do." He inhaled the air around her and smiled. "She's gone into heat, and that's where my problem lies."

"I don't believe him," Kouga growled in annoyance. "Either of us would catch the scent of it by now, Sesshoumaru, especially you since you've spent so much time with her."

Sesshoumaru nodded in agreement and took a breath to say something, but stopped as something filtered through the air toward him. He could finally catch the scent of Deling's new weapon and it held Kagome's lily scent along with the addition of whatever she'd become. Beneath this complicated bouquet of scents there lay another, something more mysterious and exotic than the ones previous.

"The Al Bhed that created her came up with another purpose for my dear Seraphim," Deling explained. He watched as, one by one, the breathing of the males around him deepened, with Kouga the first to be truly affected. "There were supposed to be two of them, a Seraphim and an Archangel, but the facility was destroyed before he could be created. My dear aeon is in heat and won't be sated until she is pupped."

"And why do you care so badly Deling?" Sango shot back. "It's not like you to play Matchmaker."

"Oh, and I wouldn't be either, except she won't allow me to touch her," Deling pouted. "She thinks I'm too weak, so she's deemed me unworthy. I'm sure she'll find her significant other among one of you. Once she's pupped and the kid is born, I'll raise him-or her, I don't care really-as my own. It'll be the perfect weapon that only I can control."

'_You asked...'_

_Asked what..._

'_What's more loyal than an aeon. Well now you know...'_

"Ok," Inuyasha huffed at last. "So you pair Kagome-"

"Seraphim!"

"Right, whatever," Inuyasha grumbled with drunken sigh. The air around him was slowly starting to get to him and it was becoming increasingly difficult to think. "So, you pair her with one of us right? Then what happens to the rest of us."

"That's simple," Deling laughed.

"You die."

Deling grinned at the snarls and snaps that came from the youkai, his grin weakening slightly at the sound of safetys coming off. "Oh, and I seriously doubt she'd allow you to shoot me. Seraphim."

She opened her eyes and glanced toward Deling, the look of disgust for the hanyou written plainly on her face as she awaited his instructions.

"Choose who you will. I won't stand in the way."

She rolled her eyes at the last part of his command, then turned glowing neon orbs toward the group in front of her. Her gaze fell on Miroku first, her attentions critical and calculating before glancing toward Kouga. She passed him with a barely audible snort and continued on while Kouga complained.

"Hey!" he shouted angrily. "What the hell! I'm a lot more powerful than these other guys!"

"Shut up Kouga," Sango snapped. "It's not about you so deal with it."

Her eyes slid past Shippou entirely, something that didn't fail to catch the inu brothers attention as she gazed toward the pair. Her head tilted to the side thoughtfully and one clawed fingertip tapped her side before she turned back to Deling. "Have you decided?" he asked and was rewarded with a lowering of her eyes.

"Then take him and destroy the rest."

'_Woah, wait a second!'_

_What now?_

'_Um, you really don't want to do this do you! You don't want to kill my friends, do you?'_

_Friendship is overrated. Besides, our master has commanded this._

'_But he's not our master! We're masters of our own destiny! You don't have to do this!'_

The SeeD were on their guard the moment she stepped forward, the edges of her pantslegs whispering along the soft plastic beneath her feet. She moved until she stood directly in front of Deling, her body providing a barrier for the president. She cupped her hands in front of her, closed her eyes and began to chant. The whispered words missed Sesshoumaru's ears but the effects were felt throughout the room as the temperature dropped . Soon their breath came out in puffs of vapor and the humans of the group began to shiver.

"W-we can't t-take much m-more of this Sesshoumaru," Sango stuttered out as she and Miroku huddled together for warmth. "Something's gotta give!"

Sesshoumaru nodded in agreement, with a quick gesture on his part, the youkai separated. Sesshoumaru, Inuyasha and Kouga moved to attack the aeon directly while Shippou stayed behind to help Sango and Miroku. 'Seraphim' smiled as they neared her, opened her hands and released a powerful Firaga spell toward Kouga. Kouga yelped and barely dodged te smoking fireball. It careened past him and he breathed a sigh of relief. "Whew, that was clo-"

"Kouga, you dumbass!" Inuyasha snarled as he doubled back and raced toward the spell. Kouga looked back and watched, horrified, as the fireball that nearly hit him blazed toward Sango and Miroku. Kouga turned back as well but knew that neither he nor Inuyasha were fast enough to save them in time. Kouga's ears twitched at a sudden _ zing_ and fell backward when Junsei and Shikyo landed in front of him. The Firaga spell bounced off of the crossed blades and dissipated, leaving nothing but a puff of smoke and a very unhappy aeon.

She growled toward Sesshoumaru, who quickly growled back. She was angry, but pleased at his defiance and it showed in her scent and aura. She welcomed his advance toward her and readied herself, but growled in annoyance when Kouga landed in front of Sesshoumaru and reached out for her.

"Come on Kagome," he called out as she evaded his outstretched hand. "Let's get you away from this evil bastard. Come h-" His breath came out in a wheezed croak when she finally stopped running and kicked him in the crotch. He doubled over in agony, crystal blue eyes wide and disbelieving as she smirked down at him. She grasped his shoulders tenderly, a sweet smile gracing her lips before she slammed his chin into her knee. Kouga blacked out instantly and was completely unaware when she slid him toward the opposite wall.

"That's one," Deling happily chanted from behind her. "Though he's not dead, that will do. Continue Seraphim."

She turned toward Inuyasha next, who stood on her right side, and charged toward him. "Yeah right," Inuyasha said aloud as he ducked her wild swing. "Like I haven't spared with you enough over the years. I know all of your moves Kago-" His mouth shut with a click when her fist connected with his jaw, his eyes briefly flashing red as the pain shot from his face to his brain and back again. He stumbled back and spit out blood (and what he thought might be a tooth) onto the floor and snarled. She smirked back and caught him with a Stop spell before he could blink again.

Inuyasha struggled to free himself and stopped when Sango's Esuna spell burst over his head. He rotated his shoulder and nodded toward her in thanks, his momentary distraction enough for Seraphim to sneak behind him and knock him to the floor. He cried out in outrage, then in agony when she stomped down on his right forearm, his loud bellow barely heard over the vicious **_snap_** of his bones breaking. She left him where he was when Sesshoumaru swiped out at him, a pleased smirk on her lips as she allowed Sesshoumaru to distract her. Shippou immediately darted out and dragged Inuyasha further away from the battlefield.

"Hey Inuyasha, are you alright?" Shippou asked as he struggled to lift Inuyasha's sleeve. He grimaced at the odd angle Inuyasha's arm now laid in and used a scrap piece of cloth to wrap it while Sango and Miroku kept watch. "Man, this looks like it hurt-"

"Why ain't you fightin'?" Inuyasha moaned painfully. "We need all the help we can get you know."

"Yeah, I know," Shippou looked away guiltily. "But I can't do it. I can't hit her."

"Well I don't like the idea of hitting Kagome either but-"

"No, it's not that," Shippou interrupted. "I **can't** hit her! It's our mark." He held up his arm so Inuyasha could see. "If I hit her I'll get shocked and she'll disappear."

"Disappear where? And what for?"

"It's supposed to keep enemies from taking advantage of the blood marks," Shippou explained. "Every kitsune knows about the marks and what they're for."

"But you said Kagome would disappear," Inuyasha reminded him. "Why is that?"

"Its supposed to be for protection. The victim is sent to the nearest safe place and the other person is punished."

"Hm...you know," Inuyasha said after a moments though. "That gives me an idea."

"Uh oh," Shippou said warily, then glanced up at a frustrated growl from Sesshoumaru. "I'm not going to like this am I?"

"You've got to get Kagome to hit you," replied Inuyasha instead of answering his question. "Then maybe the shock will knock some sense into her."

"No," Shippou refused. "I'm not going to do it."

"Why not?" Inuyasha demanded. "It's a good idea. She'll get her senses back you'll-"

"Get transported to the ship but Inuyasha that's not why I don't want to do it!" Shippou said in a rush. "I don't want to do it because...our mark will fade."

"Fade? You mean, the two of you won't be connected anymore?"

Shippou nodded miserably. "I know it's selfish of me but-"

"You're damned right it's selfish of you," Inuyasha retorted. "Here you can be of some help and you won't do it because you're afraid of losing some mark."

"But Inuyasha, Kagome and I-"

"Won't be any different than you were before this whole mess started. Kagome cares about us, and she always will but we can't get her back if whatever it is and Deling keep her under their control. You won't lose a friend stupid. You'll just be losing a scar."

Shippou sighed dismally, but headed the wisdom in Inuyasha's harsh statement. Inuyasha gave Shippou a reassuring pat on his shoulder. Shippou nodded back, stood up and approached the battle ahead of them.

Deling stood by, a self-satisfied smirk on his features as he watched Seraphim and Sesshoumaru fight each other. He could tell that his little aeon enjoyed the taiyoukai's attempts to knock her down or get past her and truly felt no fear. 'I will have what I want,' Deling said to himself when Seraphim knocked Sesshoumaru's feet from underneath him and pounced on his prone form. 'I will have that child I desire and soon, I will have the world. Father couldn't have done better himself.'

"Kagome!"

Deling looked up, as did Seraphim as Shippou stopped beside her. He looked down on her, watching as she snarled in his direction. He reached down and pulled her off of Sesshoumaru, who quickly sprang to his feet and stood by as Seraphim struggled to regain her freedom. She glared at Shippou and snarled again. Shippou shook his head and braced himself for what was to come.

"I'm sorry," he whispered seconds before her fist connected with the side of his head. He sank to the floor and fought to stay conscious, his jade green eyes unfocused and bleary as Seraphim glared down at him. She jerked once, twice, then screamed as wave upon wave of electricity washed over her. She fell down beside him, her eyes squeezed shut as spasms tossed her body around. She went still moments before Shippou disappeared, a lone tear slipping down his cheek as his outstretched hand faded from sight.

"What just happened?" Deling demanded as he stalked across the room toward Seraphim. "What did he do to my aeon?"

"It's not what he did, it's what _she_ did," Inuyasha grunted as Sango and Miroku helped him to his feet. "All Shippou did was set the re-set button on your so called 'aeon'."

"Wake up!" Deling hollered as he lifted Seraphim by the shoulders and shook her. "Wake up damnit! I won't stand for this! Obey me and destroy them!"

"Looks like you're having a little trouble there De-" Inuyasha gaped, as did the others, when the president lost control and slapped the aeon across her cheek. The cheek darkened only for an instant, then the bruise disappeared before Deling slapped her again. Sesshoumaru, Inuyasha and Kouga, who had finally awakened, snarled in warning at the enraged hanyou, but Deling paid them little attention as he balled up his fist and smashed it into the aeon's nose.

"I demand that you wake up this instant!" he howled as he punched her repeatedly. Blood dribbled down one side of her nose and her bottom lip began to swell. He stopped when Sesshoumaru grasped his wrist, his normally cool golden eyes blood red and his youki barely leashed.

"You will so-" He was tossed back like a ball and he shielded his eyes from the blinding light that suddenly flashed between himself and Deling. The light engulfed the president and his weapon and prevented anyone from seeing or touching anything inside. The light disappeared just as quickly as it appeared, leaving Seraphim sitting in the middle of the floor...

Alone...

As tiny gray bits of ash floated around her. She stood up and brushed herself off, her glowing orbs filled with unhinged malice as she raised her arms and laughed.

"What's she doing!" Sango shouted above the howling, frigid winds. "Sesshoumaru! Don't you know what's going on?"

"She's a GF without a master now," Sesshoumaru answered her. "She's free to do what she wants and now-"

"Now she wants to go on a killing spree!" Inuyasha called out. "Kagome! Kagome stop it! You're going to hurt somebody!"

'Hmm...that's it!' Sesshoumaru realized as the wind swirled around him. 'That's what Dr. Gippal wanted to tell her! I believe I know what to do...' He gathered Junsei and Shikyo, placed them back in their holsters and left the small gathering to walk toward her. Seraphim watched him, ruby red hair swirling about her and her eyes pinned on his form as his hand gently wrapped itself around her wrist.

"You will stop this," he told her evenly, all traces of his anger toward Deling completely cleared from his eyes and aura. "You were not made for this." He sensed her confusion at his command and he jerked her toward him before she could stop him. Her eyes widened in disbelief and outrage and her power spiked around him, threatening to fry him, freeze him, or purify him on the spot.

"You are an alchemist, just like your father." He mentally smirked at the shock on her face. "It is time you rested Kagome. Pa drui vun dra baubma."

The wind died instantly as did the glow in her eyes as the power around them surged back to her lithe form. She sagged against him, her turquoise eyes grateful as he caught her and wrapped his tail around her. Red hair darkened to onyx cascaded over his left arm. He watched as her eyes closed and she fell asleep before turning to the others. They stared at him in open-mouthed awe and did little more than watch him as his tail reached behind him to pick up something that glimmered on the ash coated floor.

"Well," Inuyasha said as he finally came to his senses. "I'd say that was eventful. Now who's ready to go home?"

(End chapter)

SF: Ok, I'll admit, that chapter kinda sucked.

Kagome: No it didn't. You got a lot of stuff solved in this chapter.

SF: Yeah, but writer's block was a b-otch. I hate it when that happens.

Inu-chan: So now what? That's the end right?

SF: Um...wrong! Duh! You know there's one more chapter left to this story. Um...hey Sesshou!

Sesshou: (from deep within the confines of the fridge) What is it crossbreed?

SF: It's your turn to do the summary for the next chapter.

Sesshou: I do not wish to do so. Charge the hanyou with that duty.

SF: Alright then but...

Sesshou: (pulling out a red Freeze-Pop) But what?

SF: Well, I was just thinking about that favor you asked me the other day. The one about the one shot on A Single Spark and Mediaminer. Don't you remember what you asked me about it?

Sesshou: Yes..

SF: Well, I'll consider it if you do this.

Sesshou: (grumbling around his Freeze-Pop) Fine. Hand this Sesshoumaru the script. (Snatches script)

SF: **Hey!**

Sesshou: (reads over) To have her back...to have her finally with us...with _me_...I do not know how to describe the relief that has settled over the team. They stare at her as if she will disappear at will...and she just might. But what will they do-what will _I_ do-when she's taken from us again?

Next chapter-Chapter Twenty-Two: Vindicated


	22. Unforgettable

For Disclaimer: Um, please see the other chapters. If you haven't been reading and this is your first chapter, then go back to chapter one where the disclaimer starts. Yup, I've had another change of heart concerning these chapters. Lol. I go through more of those than anyone else in the world. I'm so indecisive and bubbleheaded that I sometimes scare myself. Lol. Anyway, here's the next chapter.

_Humans need their sleep and you are human...aren't you?_

Chapter Twenty-Two: Unforgettable

_Yes, I'm human..._

(I)

Bottle green eyes opened with a snap, the cloudy orbs shocked as the cold steel tile rushed to greet him. He grunted and fell heavily, his breath leaving him in a mighty _woosh_ as his forehead knocked against the floor. The floor banked forward and he struggled to grasp the tiny ventilation holes to stop his descent.

"That _bastard_!" Inuyasha snarled as he too was ripped from his slumber. "Just what's he tryin' to do anyway, death roll us into the ocean!" He winced and rubbed his sore backside, his amber eyes flashing angrily before gazing at Shippou. "How's Kagome?" he asked with a quick jerk of his chin.

Shippou rolled from underneath a group of chairs into the aisle, then grasped the back of the nearest chair and struggled to his feet. He peered down at Kagome and sighed when he found her undisturbed. "She's still sleeping," he told Inuyasha. Inuyasha nodded and growled when the airship lurched again. His irritation woke Sango and Miroku, who slept huddled together at the back of the Passenger's Deck. Sango yawned and watched in confusion as Inuyasha stormed from the room, his curses trailing behind him like a waving red banner. "There he goes," Sango griped as the door slid closed behind him. The plane jerked again and again they found themselves struggling to keep their balance.

"Just what is Sesshoumaru doing up there?" Miroku wondered out loud as those that managed to stay asleep through the ruckus. Kouga and Ayame left the room quickly, as did Miroku and Sango, leaving Shippou and Souten to watch over Kagome.

"How is she?" Souten asked as Shippou sat down and gently placed Kagome's head on his lap. Shippou sighed and shook his head.

"I don't know," he answered honestly. "She didn't say a word to us back at Deling's Palace and she hasn't awakened. We...I don't know what to do."

"I'm sure she'll wake up soon," Souten reassured him with a soft pat on his shoulder. Shippou looked up gratefully, then sighed again and brushed his finger along Kagome's brow.

"She means so much to me," he whispered somberly. "I don't know what I'd do without her..." Souten watched as he caressed his arm, the scar that once adorned his forearm now smooth, unblemished skin. Kagome's arm held the remains of the scar, the skin now smooth but a dark line traced from her wrist to her elbow.

"I'm sure," Souten began softly, her voice feather light to mask her pain. "I'm sure she knows you're here Shippou, and that you mean a lot to her too."

"Of course I do," Shippou huffed tearfully. "I'm just like a younger brother to her. She and I have protected each other for years." His thoughts bent back to his first battle in Esthar and the bright purple flash of light that sheltered he and Souten from the onslaught of the New Galbadian soldiers. He felt that Kagome had been responsible but wasn't sure until that same purple light purified the youkai standing between them and Deling back at the Desert Prison.

'I...I don't know what I'll do if you don't wake up,' he thought before brushing his lips against her forehead. 'Please, come back to us.'

Souten watched this sadly, her brown eyes wet with tears as Shippou continued to cradle his young friend. She looked up when the doors opened and watched as Sesshoumaru strolled into the room with the rest of the team quickly following behind him. He leaned against a console stationed at the opposite end of the aisle and waited for everyone to settle into their seats, his arms folded against his chest and his denim-clad legs shoulder length apart.

"As you all are aware," Sesshoumaru began once he had their attention. "Our supply situation is the same as it was when we started. I have spoken to the headmaster and he is informed of Deling's termination."

"What about Kagome?" Shippou interrupted earnestly. "What did he say about her?"

"Headmaster said nothing about her," Sesshoumaru assured him. "He stated that he would rendevous with us on the Esthar continent near the Lunar Gate. We are twenty minutes from our scheduled meeting point now. Are there any questions?"

"Are we taking Kagome's home?" Sango asked from her place at the back of the room. Sesshoumaru shrugged his shoulders.

"I do not know Almasy," he admitted with a deep sigh. "I have not received orders confirming nor denying that intention."

"What are they going to do about her anyway?" wondered Kouga aloud. "I mean, did the headmaster say anything at all about a medic waiting for us when we landed."

"No, he did-"

"Would it have killed you to ask?" Shippou demanded hotly. "You're normally Mr. I Know Everything about Everything but now you're clueless! I'm not buying it Sesshoumaru."

"I don't care if you 'buy it' or not kitsune," retorted Sesshoumaru cooly. "I am sure that even your paltry nose can tell you if I'm deceiving you. Now if you'll excuse me, I must prepare to land." Sesshoumaru quit the room without another word, his eyes forward and his head high. He gracefully walked through the Passenger's Deck doors and through the hallway leading to the cockpit lift. He waited until he was in the privacy and safety of the vacant control room to sigh, his head and shoulders sagging with defeat and worry.

Kagome's state of consciousness worried him more than he cared to admit. The questions the others asked him were the exact same questions he asked the headmaster, and it was no surprise that his answers were the same too. Sesshoumaru abandoned his inner thoughts and sat down behind the pilot's console, his hands grasping the controls and flipping off the auto-pilot before scanning the ground below for the Lunar Gate.

Little more than red desert lay below them, but the iridescent blues of the Lunar Gate twinkled in the afternoon twilight. The gate resembled a giant blue slide with a gentle upward slope. Sesshoumaru set the airship down a few feet away from the Lunar Gate's northern terminal where a small green military Jeep waited.

Sesshoumaru lowered the Black Dragon's landing ramp and the SeeD team soon brought themselves at the foot of the ramp in frong of Headmaster Leonheart.

"Team, how was your mission," Headmaster Leonheart asked as he began to pace in front of them

"Successful Headmaster sir!"

"Good," Headmaster Leonheart nodded in approval. "And I understand that your target was eliminated, yes?"

"Yes Headmaster sir!" was h is immediate response. Headmaster Leonheart nodded again and waved his hand. "At ease people. You've done well." He watched as they shook themselves off, grinned and congratulated each other. Only one person remained still, golden eyes piercing Squall's form as they watched him.

"There is more, isn't there Headmaster?"

The others stopped, the depth and unexpectedness of Sesshoumaru's announcement. Sango and the others turned to Squall as he sighed, glacier blue eyes glancing past them to the west.

"Yes," he admitted. "There is more."

"What is it?" Miroku asked urgently. "Is there something we forgot? Something we're missing?"

"It's Kagome isn't it?" Shippou guessed. "Where are the medics for her? Do they think they're something seriously wrong with her?"

"No, it's not that," Squall shook his head. "It is about Kagome, but it's not about her condition. I've spoke to the medical team about her and they believe she's merely sleeping."

"Then what is it?" Inuyasha was the next to ask. "Stop all this suspense business and tell us!"

"It's..." He stepped back and to the side, revealing a pair of Esthar guards. The others watched in wide eyed surprise as the doors to the military Jeep opened and more guards, fifteen in all, surrounded them.

"What's going on?" Inuyasha demanded as he unsheathed his gunblade and pointed it toward the guards. "Hey Headmaster, what's this?"

"They are Esthar's Elite Guardsmen," Headmaster Leonheart replied with a defeated sigh. "They're here...for Kagome."

"WHAT!" Inuyasha, Shippou and Kouga shouted as the others gripped their weapons. "What do they want her for?"

"She's wanted for treason, and for being a Sorceress," Squall tried to explain as the youkai growled around him. "The Esthar government has already tried her and sentenced her to ostracize her."

"How in the hell are they gonna do that!" Shippou asked and tossed a Thunder spell at a guard trying to get past him. "Leaver her on one of the Centra continents."

Sesshoumaru shook his head. The others turned to him and waited, his weaponless hands not missed by the rest of is team as they glared at him. "They will treat her like the last sorceress and send her into space, correct headmaster?"

"Yes," Squall whispered guiltily. "That's exactly what they'll do."

"No way!" Inuyasha exploded suddenly. "No way in _hell_ are they gonna send her away for something she couldn't even stop! She couldn't even do anything Headmaster! Tell him Sesshoumaru, damn it, and stop standing there like some dumbass statue!"

"He's told me already," Headmaster Leonheart assured them. "I've received Sesshoumaru's full report and I in turn gave it to the Esthar government. Kagome is an Esthar citizen and they in turn have the right to judge her as they see fit."

"Well I don't give a damn," Shippou assured him and cracked his knuckles in anticipation. "I'm not going to let them take her. We just got her back for God's sake!"

"Then you all will be tried for treason," one of the guards assured them as he and the rest of his people prepared to fight. "You will spend the rest of your lives in prison."

"That's fine with me," Inuyasha snarled with Kouga, Sango and the others in full agreement. "Let's go-"

"_Stop_!"

They froze instantly, then turned around and watched as Kagome leaned against the wall opposite of the cargo bay ramp. She lifted her head, her dark hair shifting over her shoulder to rest behind her. Tears pooled in her teal eyes and streamed down her pale cheeks to fall at her bare feet. "Just stop," she pleaded and stumbled toward them. "Please..."

"But Kagome," Inuyasha began and reached out when she looked to fall. She looked up at him gratefully, her claw-less fingers gripping his sleeve tightly while she regained her footing. She turned to the guards around them and bowed, her hair once again shifting around her before she stood up again.

"I understand why you're here," Kagome evenly replied as she wiped her face clean. "And I'll gladly go with you-"

"Kagome, you can't!"

"If you'll give me a moment or so to say goodbye to my friends."

The lead guardsman considered this, then gestured for her to proceed. Kagome walked up to Sango and hugged her friend for the first time. Sango gasped in surprise before her tears began, her forehead coming to rest on Kagome's shoulder as she wept bitterly. Kagome whispered something the others couldn't hear and Sango quickly nodded before Kagome moved on. She hugged each of them in turn, including Ayame and Souten. She whispered words of encouragement, of advice and of her love for that person, the smile she left them with happy despite the tears that shimmered like diamonds in her eyes.

She turned away from Shippou, her gaze only turning back when his hand remained clamped to her wrist. She smiled again, patted his hand and gave him the will to let go. She turned toward the last person and walked toward him gingerly, her tears coursing down her face again as she wrapped her arms around Sesshoumaru's waist. He paused, unsure of what to do, before returning the gesture wholeheartedly. She sighed against his chest and nuzzled against him, using her newfound senses to memorize everything about him. His scent was a storm of the emotions he'd never show, including sadness and a sense of loss. She whispered an apology inside his shirt and was surprised when his grief only strengthened.

Sesshoumaru ignored the shock and gasps of the others when his tail wrapped around them, shrouding them beneath it's white fluffiness until it resembled a caterpillar's's cocoon. Kagome looked up at him, her blue green orbs silently questioning him as he gazed down at her. He drank in as much as he could of her and coded her scent, her eyes and her face to memory. He caressed her cheek softly, his touch reverent as she closed her eyes. Her arms left his waist to rest at his neck, the small weight that suddenly settled at his throat unnoticed as she brushed her lips against his cheek.

"I have to go now Sesshoumaru," Kagome whispered sadly. "They're...waiting for me. I'm-" The cocoon burst around them and Sesshoumaru released her quickly, his eyes suddenly guarded as he stepped away from her. Kagome stumbled back, her hand over her heart to steady herself as she gazed up at him.

"I understand," she assured him. She nodded toward the guards and held out her hands and the others sadly watched as the guards quickly clamped a special set of steel sleeves over her hands. The sleeves weighed her arms down, leaving Kagome slumped over as they shackled her ankles together and led her toward the Jeep. The guards loaded her inside and quickly sped off, leaving the headmaster and his SeeD to stand alone in the burning desert. The dust cloud from the Jeep disappeared and the SeeD began to make their way toward the Black Dragon and the Passenger Deck within.

Soon only Squall and Sesshoumaru remained.

"When," Sesshoumaru began, then cleared his throat and tried again when his voice threatened to crack. "When will they Send her?"

"Tomorrow afternoon at 1300 hours."

Sesshoumaru nodded thoughtfully, his eyes distant and unaware as Squall turned toward him. "Sesshoumaru?"

"Yes Headmaster?"

"There is...or there might be a way to keep her here."

Cool sunkissed orbs turned to him instantly, his attention riveted to the human beside him. "Go on."

"Well I'm not sure exactly," Squall told him before he could get his hopes up. "But maybe there's something your father can do. Perhaps you should go and see him."

Sesshoumaru considered this for a moment, then turned and boarded the ship, leaving the headmaster to trail along behind him.

(II)

Sesshoumaru sat patiently on his father's couch, his fingertips tapping lightly against each other as he awaited the older youkai's appearance. His flight from Lunar Gate to the recently repaired Airstation had been remarkably short and he'd quit the ship and run from the airstation toward where he knew his father's apartment would be. He caught the older youkai just as he stepped into the apartment and, after a brief greeting, found himself waiting on his couch. He glanced down at his watch and frowned at how late it was becoming, a slight growl escaping his lips before the bedroom doorway nearest him slid open.

"Now that was a shower," a youkai that resembled Sesshoumaru purred in contentment as he dried his hair with a navy blue towel. The youkai's jet black robe dragged along behind him as he walked across the living room and opened the curtains.

"Isn't it beautiful my son," he asked as he gestured toward the city outside. "Esthar has always been a monument to fine architecture. Don't you agree?"

"Yes Father but I-"

"And just look at the sparkling lights," Ambassador Endo mused as he wistfully watched the twinkling below. "There is a sense of awe here that just leaves you breathless."

"I do believe you're making less sense than usual Father," Sesshoumaru determined as he stood up. "I don't have time for this. I must ask you-"

"I cannot wait until I retire," Ambassador Endo pushed ahead in spite of Sesshoumaru's urgency. "Then I'll be able to move here and resume my engineering career. Perhaps I'll be able to find a new bride as well."

"Father I-"

"You only call me Father, pup, whenever you have a problem." Ambassador Endo sighed heavily and sank down into a nearby recliner. "What is it Pup? What may I do for you?"

"A...friend of mine has been arrested by the Esthar Elite. What can you do to have them released?"

"Well, I don't know." Ambassador Endo frowned thoughtfully, his right hand raised to gently scratch his chin. "It depends. What have they been arrested for?"

"Treason."

"Well that's different," the elder youkai laughed, fully under the impression that Sesshoumaru was joking. He glanced back and his mirth soured at Sesshoumaru's seriousness, cool golden eyes so much like his own glaring at him scornfully.

"This is far from funny," Sesshoumaru growled irritably. "I need your help and you laugh at me. How typical."

"Now Sesshoumaru," Ambassador Endo said before Sesshoumaru could walk out the door. "I don't fully understand what's going on. What has your friend done to earn the scorn of the Esthar Elite?" Ambassador Endo sat back and listened patiently as Sesshoumaru explained, his only reaction being toward the end when he frowned.

"That is quite complicated," he admitted with a shake of his head. "The answers you want are not a as cut and dry as you think they are."

"Then what must be done?" Sesshoumaru demanded coldly. "Is there anything you can do or not?"

"Well, there would be if this summoner were mine," Ambassador Endo explained. "But seeing as she's not, the foreign powers might think I want to use her for a military advantage. You could petition for her release, since you say she's like a Guardian Force."

"How would I do that?" asked Sesshoumaru.

"Well, you would have to wait until the Esthar Court Offices opened tomorrow morning, then file a complaint about her being taken from you. Then you wait until your case comes up-"

"How long would that take?" Sesshoumaru asked, his right eye ticking slightly at his father's round about way of answering him.

"Oh, at least a couple of months," Ambassador Endo proposed, then smiled helpfully. "I would be willing to use my influence to speed it up to a couple of weeks."

"That is too long," Sesshoumaru determined with a shake of his head. "Isn't there anything else that would take less time?"

"Well yes..."

Sesshoumaru stopped, the sudden calculating look in Ambassador Endo's amber eyes unnerving. "What is it Father? Spit it out already."

"Well, President Loire could give her to you...as a welcoming gift."

"Welcoming me to what?" Sesshoumaru asked, and growled at the look in his father's eye. "No, I've already told you this. I am not ready to replace you and that will not change."

"They won't give her to me Sesshoumaru," Ambassador Endo reminded him with a heavy exhale. "But they would give her to the new Ambassador as a show of good faith. They would give you almost anything to ensure good will between the nations and youkai/human relations. Sesshoumaru-"

"No."

"I know you do not like this-"

"I'm glad. This way I do not have to explain it to you."

"But you must understand," Ambassador Endo sighed. "There are laws to get a GF back, but it takes months and months for the courts of this land to even begin a case like yours. By the time they rule, whether in your favor or not, it will be a few years from now. You want results now, and that's the only way to gain them."

"I am not willing to-"

"You say you want this friend of yours freed, yes?" Ambassador Endo began before Sesshoumaru could finish. "Then what are you willing to do? If you can accept waiting, and risk the chance that the courts will deny you, then be my guest. I assure you Sesshoumaru, you will get what you ask for if you become the ambassador. It is not as if you don't know what the position holds."

"Yes but-" Sesshoumaru sighed then, his head hanging slightly as he turned to windows and the Esthar horizon. "Is there really no other way?"

Ambassador Endo clamped a gentle, understanding hand on Sesshoumaru's shoulder. "You have to ask yourself," he said as he watched the first bursts of orange appear on the city's background. "What is more precious to you? You're career and life as a SeeD, or this 'friend' of yours? Is she truly worth it?"

"I...am not sure."

"Ah, then perhaps she's not," the ambassador mused as he turned away from the window. "But remember son, there are different types of women in the world, but only one will make you feel complete. Does she make you feel weak, yet strong at the same time? Does her smile bring out the best in you? Do her tears make you ill? Is her heartbreak yours too?"

The answer came without warning, without bidding and without contradiction...

"Yes."

"Then what are we doing standing here?" Ambassador Endo happily said as he shoved Sesshoumaru toward the bathroom. "We need to hurry and get you ready. You have a meeting to go to in a couple of hours."

(III)

Sesshoumaru stood in front of the Presidential Conference Room door, his eyes crisp and over alert as he waited for the president's secretary to page him inside the room. He tugged on the sleeve of his black pinstripe suit nervously, his claws whisking away an insignificant piece of imaginary lint. His hair was pulled back in a low ponytail and he felt he looked no different, except for the small pin now attached to his lapel. The tiny blue crescent moon shone like a star against it's dark canvas, yet the little jewel symbolized so much to himself, his family and the world around him. He was no longer Commander Sesshoumaru Endo, that life now left at on the floor of his father's apartment.

"Ambassador Endo?"

Sesshoumaru glanced up from his inspection of his sleeve to the bulbous face of the toad-like secretary bowing to him.

"President Loire has been informed of your presence." The little green man bowed then, the tip of his sharp thin beak tapping against the cold marble floor of the waiting room. "If you would follow me please."

Sesshoumaru nodded and proceeded after the little man, his thoughts still back at the _Black Dragon_ where Inuyasha and the others at first refused to allow him to leave their sights. Nothing had been explained to them, or at least nothing on his part in the whole affair of things, but the team managed to accept what he did tell them including his resignation from the SeeD military forces. Sesshoumaru inwardly sighed before squaring his shoulders, knowing that the next couple of minutes would require his full and undivided attention.

"Here we are sir," said the toad as he stopped at the end of a dimly lit hallway made entirely of glass. The newborn rays of the sun cast shadows over the large silver door ahead of them. The toad opened the door for him and stood aside, his head once again bowed as Sesshoumaru stepped into the conference room. His ears twitched at the heavy sound of the door closing. To Sesshoumaru, the sound more **final** than it should have been.

'There is no time for this,' he scolded himself as he straightened his tie and proceeded toward the large circular table in the center of the room. 'My decision has been made and now is not the time for unfounded nervousness.' A human male, perhaps in his late fifties or early sixties, paced along the opposite side of the table. He moved from a file cabinet hidden deep within the metallic wall behind him to the table where he placed folders at seven of the nine seats around the table. He looked up in surprise when Sesshoumaru finally stepped into the light, familiar icy blue eyes widening in surprise at the younger version of Galbadia's ambassador.

"Um," the man began as he stopped to scratch his head. Hair that had once been light in his youth had darkened to a near black before the iridescent streaks of gray that now peppered within. "Who are you? You're not Ambassador Endo."

"I am the ambassador," Sesshomaru corrected as he gestured toward his pin. "But no, I am not Sugimi. He is my father."

"Oh, you must be the young prince then," the man laughed suddenly, the coldness and suspension in his orbs melting into welcome and mirth. "Well of course you are! Who else would you be? I'm terribly sorry."

"About what?" Sesshoumaru asked and sat down when one of the conference chairs was offered to him.

"About not having the proper reception for you, that's what," the man said, then reached out his hand. "I'm the president, Laguna Loire. My apologies for not introducing myself earlier but you surprised me and there is only so much this old heart of mine can handle."

Sesshoumaru nodded in acceptance and watched with dwindling patience as the president continued sorting through folders. "Mr. President, if I may-"

"I only wish I knew you were coming," President Loire muttered more to himself than to Sesshoumaru as he sorted through another file before putting it away. "Then I could have had the other ambassadors come and welcome you."

"That is not necessary," Sesshoumaru assured him. "The decision for my father to retire was a sudden one and I only assumed the role this morning."

"Is Sugimi sick or something?" the president interjected worriedly. "I saw no signs of it in our last meeting."

"No, Father is quite well," Sesshoumaru replied calmly, though inside he was literally seething at how long it was taking to get to his reason for being there. "I thank you for his concern though."

"Whew, that's a relief," President Loire breathed aloud. "I am confused though. Sugimi knew that we had a meeting later this afternoon about funding and relief efforts to the countries devastated by President Deling. I'm sure you know all about his demise."

Sesshoumaru nodded patiently. "Yes, I witnessed it shortly before I retired from SeeD."

"Yes, that's right," the president reminded himself as he sat down in a chair opposite of Sesshoumaru. "You were a SeeD weren't you? You made it all the way to Commander, right?"

"Yes, but that is a different lifetime."

"Yes, I suppose it is," President Loire sighed wistfully, his glacier blue eyes thoughtful for a few moments. He turned back to the present, and Sesshoumaru, when Sesshoumaru cleared his throat. "Well, I suppose there is a reason for you being extremely early for this meeting."

"There is, but it has nothing to do with the meeting."

"Then what is it?" asked President Loire as he made himself comfortable. It was then that Sesshoumaru noticed the president's state of attire, his white pyjamas and lounge robe suggesting that the elder gentleman hadn't long been out of bed. "I can tell that something important is bothering you, so please, let's hear it."

Sesshoumaru took a deep breath and steadied himself, his earlier preparation quickly coming to mind before he began. "You are aware of the existence of GFs, or Guardian Forces, correct Mr. President?"

"Please, call me Laguna," the president replied before nodding solemnly. "Yes, I'm vaguely aware of the creatures. They helped quite a deal in the Second Sorceress War."

Sesshoumaru nodded in appeasement. "I used many GFs during my time as a SeeD. During this time, one GF was stolen from me and used to cause considerable harm to others."

"My word," the president audibly gasped. "That is unfortunate. Surely you know who took it from you?"

"I do and I am glad to say that I was able to retrieve her back and punish the thief. However..."

"However what?" President Loire asked when Sesshoumaru suddenly stopped talking. "What is it?"

"My GF was taken from me again...and that brings me to ask your opinion on the responsibilities of a GF."

"I don't understand," the president admitted with a frown. "What responsibilities are we speaking of?"

"Of course a GF is responsible for protecting the one who carries it's summoning stone," Sesshoumaru mused thoughtfully. "But what other responsibilities does it have? Can it be charged for vandalism, or murder?"

"No, not that I know of," President Loire replied with a shake of his head. "A GF is only as responsible as the person controlling it and if the summoner has commanded it to cause harm to others, especially the innocent, it is the summoner who is responsible for the trespass, not the GF."

"And you truly believe this?" Sesshoumaru asked, his golden eyes clear as glass as he studied the president.

"Yes, yes I do," Laguna nodded eagerly, with a calm smile.

"Then why have you arrested Kagome Higurashi?"

President Loire froze then, his smile wilting like flowers on a hot, dry day. "Kagome Higurashi is a traitor and a terrorist. She conspired with President Deling to-"

"Kagome was injured during a rescue operation three months before," Sesshoumaru coldly interrupted. "She was taken from her team and pronounced dead not too long after."

"And what does that have to do with her ca-"

"Deling knew from the beginning that Kagome was a GF, something that not even her own parents were aware of. He took advantage of our ignorance, Kagome's included, and used her alter self to cause the destruction to Galbadia and Trabia."

"That is no excuse," President Loire responded as he quit his seat and walked toward a window at the opposite end of the room. "Higurashi is an Esthar citizen and as such-"

"You know as well as I do that a GF, no matter what country she may have been born in, cannot belong to either government."

"You test my patience," President Loire sighed as he glared over his shoulder. "It has been a long time since the last person was brave enough."

"And you test mine Mr. President," Sesshoumaru growled back and stood up. "You know as well as I the laws that govern over GFs and their treatment, including their misuse."

"Yes, but Higurashi isn't a GF," President Loire countered. "She cannot be Junctioned, she has no special abilities and you have no evidence of such even if it were true."

"That is where you are wrong," Sesshoumaru replied as he crossed the room toward him. "I have her Junctioned and even though she is not with me I still have access to certain...abilities." He unsheathed Shikyo and slowly waved the weapon. The sinister looking blade began to glow a deep purple and Sesshoumaru smirked when Laguna's eyes widened in shock. "I have her Holy absorbent abilities Junctioned to my defense and attack capabilities." He sheathed his gunblade, loosened his tie, unbuttoned the collar of his white dress shirt and gestured toward his throat.

"Here is her summoning stone," he said as he gestured toward the tiny silver necklace. The blue star winked merrily in the sparse light and Sesshoumaru smirked again in triumph. "She belongs to me Laguna, and I wish to have her back as soon as possible."

"What do you plan to do with her?" President Loire demanded hotly. "If I'm to believe you, then Higurashi is a powerful weapon, one the others of the council won't like you wielding over their heads. For what reason should I hand her over to you?"

"Because I am not interested in the weapon," Sesshoumaru answered truthfully, his eyes blazing just as angrily as the human in front of him. "I am interested in the woman behind it." Sesshoumaru frowned when his throat suddenly tightened, the sensation lasting for only a few moments before it passed him. He touched his neck gingerly and touched what felt to be a metallic collar. The silver metal glimmered brightly in the room with the star in the middle seated beneath his Adam's apple.

"So I see," President Loire nodded as Sesshoumaru continued his inspection of his neck. Laguna gave a deep sigh then, startling Sesshoumaru into gazing back at him as Laguna reached toward a nearby phone. "Tell me Ambassador," he asked as he picked up the phone and began to dial. "Do you plan to use her for war against the council?"

"No, not at all," Sesshoumaru shook his head. Laguna nodded. "Good. Yes, hello," he said once the other end of the connection was picked up. "There is a launch scheduled for today. Cancel it. Yes, I'm sure. No, I'll send Administrators Zabac and Seagill to see to the procedures. Thank you." He turned back to Sesshoumaru and smiled, his expression one of fatherly understanding and acceptance. "You may retrieve your GF whenever you are ready Ambassador," he said as he stood up and held out his hand. "I do hope you'll remember our meeting though."

"I shall Mr. President," Sesshoumaru stoically replied as a wave of relief washed over him. His shoulders visibly relaxed and the cold snaps of his aura diminished. "Thank you."

"It's no problem Sesshoumaru," President Loire laughed jovially. "You're not the first person to want someone released from the Sorceress Memorial and I'm sure you won't be the last. Hopefully _I'll_ have retired by then!" He laughed as Sesshoumaru nodded, the use of Sesshoumaru's name gone unnoticed as Sesshoumaru said his goodbyes and hurriedly quit the room. Laguna shook his head in amusement before pressing the intercom button connecting to his secretary.

"Jaken, please be sure to inform Ambassadors Bravali and Ryais that our meeting is to be postponed for another time. It seems the Galbadian ambassador has something he needs to attend to and will be unable to attend the meeting."

"Of course sir," was the little toad man's reply before the intercom fell silent. Laguna leaned back in his chair and relaxed, his eyes sparking as he regarded the new day.

'Perhaps we should dismantle the Memorial's ejection laboratory,' he mused with yet another laugh. 'It seems that every time we try to isolate a young woman into one, some hero steps up and takes her away. Oh well...'

Sesshoumaru's arrival at the Sorceress Memorial was a swift one, despite Inuyasha and Shippou insisting on accompanying him. They stood waiting for him outside the Presidential Palace for him and refused to leave until he relented to their demands.

'They will be of use to me once we arrive,' Sesshoumaru determined as he straightened his tie and glanced at the pair seated opposite him. The president lent Sesshoumaru his person car as a gesture of good will, the beautiful piece of Esthar technology far more useful than it would have been to travel using the airship. 'They will distract any of the bothersome guardsmen that may be around while I extract Kagome.'

"We're here Mr. Ambassador," the driver announced as he parked and turned off the car. "I think they're expecting you inside."

"Thank you," Sesshoumaru muttered absently. He opened the door and stepped out, leaving Inuyasha and Shippou to fend for themselves as Sesshoumaru began his steady assent to the top of the massive white stairs that lead to a pair of white double doors darkened by the hot desert sun. They slid open easily and the cooled air from inside brushed against his cheek as he stepped inside.

The memorial's staff stepped around him easily, their gaze rarely glancing away from whatever important work they were doing. Sesshoumaru passed through the only set of doors ahead of him and entered the laboratory inside.

"Who are you young man?" an elderly gentleman with a wreath of crisp white hair demanded angrily. "This isn't the time to interrupt us. We have very important business and-"

"It's ok Dr. Warner," one of his lab technicians interrupted quickly. "This is the ambassador the president told us about."

"Oh, right." The doctor walked away without an apology, leaving Sesshoumaru to smolder at his rudeness and his assistant to blush in embarrassment.

"Please forgive him Ambassador," she said as she gently grasped his arm. Sesshoumaru quickly pulled away and frowned, his displeasure obvious enough for the technician to blush again. "I'm so sorry sir," she quickly apologized. "I didn't know-"

"Where is she?"

"Oh, um..." The tech blinked a moment, then turned and walked toward a short passageway. "Right this way sir," she said as she gestured toward a pair of steel cobalt blue double doors. Sesshoumaru stepped forward and waited until he dismissed the technician before walking into the room. The room was massive and dimly lit, the shadows that closed in on him unnoticed as tiny pin lights lit up along the walkway below him. Wires and tubes of various colors and sizes snaked from the darkness toward a glass sphere at the opposite end of the ramp way in the center of the room. A calming white light glowed from inside. The glow was brilliant and beautiful but it blocked his view of what was inside. He glanced away after a moment's study of the sphere and finally caught sight of a pair of technicians frantically working on a console nearest the glass orb.

"Are you almost finished?" the older of the two men demanded as they frantically typed on the massive sets of keyboards. The younger man nodded. "Yes Michael, I just have a few items to type in, then it's finished."

"Well hurry up! We don't want to keep the ambassador waiting!" Michael glanced up quickly, then stopped and gave the sphere his full attention. "Who changed her clothes?"

"I um..." The younger man blushed in shame. "...well she asked for something more comfortable and I couldn't refuse her. I gave her one of my spare shirts to 'sleep' in." He sighed and gazed wistfully at the ball. "She was so sad..."

Michael stopped working and leaned against the console's side. "I felt pretty bad for her myself," he admitted as he too stared into the orb. "She wept so bitterly we examined her we thought we were hurting her. She calmed herself enough to assure us that we weren't and even attempted to calm us long enough to finish. I don't see how someone so sweet and gentle could have caused all that damage. Oh well," he sighed before returning to work. "That's not our place to decide. Hurry up Vincent."

The pair returned to work, still unaware of Sesshoumaru's presence as he ventured down the corridor to stand in front of the orb. Kagome hung suspended in the center, supported on little more than air with her hair pulled back and her arms stretched out at her sides. An oversized white dress shirt hung loosely from her hourglass figure and every button but the top three were fastened securely. Her hair was swept over her shoulder in a jet black stream. She appeared to be sleeping with the tears she recently shed still glistening on her still, angelic face.

A crow of triumph broke Sesshoumaru out of his silent musings of her and her turned cool eyes toward the technicians. "There," Michael breathed as he punched in the last command. "I'm finished. What about you?"

"I'm finished too," Vincent nodded as he stepped away from the console and glanced up. The wiring connected to the sphere burst free in a angry hiss of compressed air. Multicolored wires snaked like deflated balloons until the sphere stood alone once mor.

"Alright, let's go," Michael said finally. He turned and paled instantly, fear flooding his scent as Sesshoumaru glanced back at him. Vincent glanced at him curiously, then shrugged and gave Sesshoumaru a respectful bow.

"I trust things are in order?"

"Of course Ambassador," Vincent said while Michael struggled to regain his voice. "Forgive my mentor here. Youkai make him nervous."

"As well we should," Sesshoumaru dryly remarked. "You are dismissed."

Vincent bowed again and quit the room, dragging his silent companion with him. Sesshoumaru glanced over his shoulder when the doors slid closed, his lids downcast and his shoulders relaxed before he returned his attention to Kagome.

"I am sorry for my earlier treatment of you," he softly whispered as his clawed fingertips touched the glass between him and her face. "This Sesshoumaru was...frightened and angry and I took it out on you. It would seem that every time I manage to return you to my grasp something comes along to steal you away." He took a cleansing breath, his eyes momentarily secreted away before determination snapped them open. "That will not happen again, I assure you."

Sesshoumaru stepped back, shed his suit jacket and draped it over the walkway's high railing before unsheathing Shikyou from his left side. He weighed the weapon in his hands, the solid grip and heaviness of his gunblade a comfort to his sudden nervousness as he took aim at the glass that kept Kagome from him. He inhaled deeply and struck, the sharp edge of Shikyou's dark metal slicing through the glass as if it were butter. Sesshoumaru stepped back again and smirked at the deep gash along the glass's front but frowned when a purple light sealed it back again. In a flash the wound was healed, leaving little more than a minuscule scrap behind.

"What the he-"

'Sesshoumaru?'

Sesshoumaru blinked, his confusion for once written on his features as he glanced around him.

'Is that you? Sesshoumaru?'

'Kagome?' he questioned in disbelief. He was unused to another initiating mental contact with him so it was a shock when her soft voice caressed his mind. 'How are you doing thi-'

'What are you doing here?' she softly asked him. 'Why aren't you with the others?'

'Why else would I be here Little Gunner?' Sesshoumaru smirked as he shifted Shikyou's weight from one hand to another. 'I've come to free you.'

'You can't!' was her whispered gasp as Sesshoumaru once again struck her cage. This time the blade made contact with a purple barrier that flared from out of empty air. Sesshoumaru frowned again, this time in displeasure as the barrier expanded around her.

"Kagome," he called out when the barrier began to push outward. "What are you doing?"

'You can't stay,' she pleaded as the barrier inched closer to him. 'You have to go and leave me here. I won't go with you.'

"Why?" he asked and glanced down once the purple wall reached him. The wall pushed him back instead of purifying him like he expected. "Kagome, you will answer me."

'Hm,' she huffed good naturedly. 'Still so demanding...I'm going to miss that.'

'Miss what and why? Why do you not you want to come with me? Do you not you wish to be free?'

'Free?' was her dismayed bark of laughter. 'I can never be free. I don't deserve to be free. I'm a monster.' A tear slid down her passive features, her visage appeared for all the world to be deep in slumber.

'That is ridiculous,' countered Sesshoumaru. 'Do you consider me a monster?'

'I'm not like you.'

'You are. You are like Inuyasha and your precious kitsune as well. You are-'

'I AM NOT LIKE YOU!'

Sesshoumaru winced, the blossoming headache from her outburst growing behind his eyes as she sobbed in his mind.

'I'm nothing like you, or anyone else on Spira!' she despaired desperately. 'You all were born the way you are now. I...I don't know what I am.'

'Then we will find out together,' Sesshoumaru offered calmly, Shikyou sheathed for now as he reached out and touched the barrier. 'But we can learn nothing if you do not allow me to release you.'

'I don't deserve to be released,' Kagome whimpered pitifully. 'Don't you get it Sesshoumaru? I'm _dangerous_. There isn't a city in the world that would accept me...not that I blame them. And what if Seraphim is called out again? Who'll control her and keep her from hurting others?

'I will, of that you can be assured. What Seraphim did isn't your fault. It is not even the GF's fault. Kagome, come with me.'

'I'm tired of fighting,' she whispered instead. 'I'm tired of the blood, of the tears, of the pain. And I don't want to be feared. That's something you might get a kick out of, but not me.'

"Kagome," Sesshoumaru chose to say out loud. His instincts roared at the finality in her 'voice', his inner beast howling at her distress as she seemed to shrink away from him. "Kagome what are you-"

'When Esthar sends me into space I'll sleep,' she mused dreamily, her voice choked with tears. 'I'll sleep forever, sleep long after I'm forgotten by my friends...my family...by you-'

'Never!' he snarled defiantly, his eyes briefly flashing red at the thought.

'I'll sleep and dream of all of you,' she promised. The barrier began to push him down the hallway, his unmoving feet sliding along the slick metal floor as she pushed him toward the doorway. 'I'll dream of Inuyasha's stubbornness, of the children Sango and Miroku are bound to have, of Shippou's first love and you...I'll dream of you most of all.' Another tear graced her cheeks, and Sesshoumaru growled and struck the barrier.

"**Kagome**-"

'I won't put you in danger,' Kagome sobbed brokenly. 'I care about you too much for that! I'm sorry Sesshoumaru...Goodbye...'

All ties with her were severed. Sesshoumaru felt alone, **truly** alone for the first time in his life and he quickly found that he didn't like the feeling. He already knew that Kagome had managed to fill the dark hole that was once in his heart, yet he never really understood how much she meant to him until now. 'I could actually lose her,' he finally realized as the sound rubber scrapping of his shoes filled the room. He rebelled at the idea and attacked the barrier, he and his inner youkai of one mind as his lightening whip lashed against the purple wall.

"You will not do this," he growled at her silent form as he continued his attack. "You will not deny me. Kagome, you will answer me." 'Answer me!' he thundered toward her, his tight restraints on his control slipping under her silence.

'Kagome please,' he relented, his attacks ceasing as he rested his hands against the barrier and closed his eyes. 'You cannot do this. You cannot leave me. I...need you. Please, don't leave me again.' He inwardly searched for ways to get her to respond to him, any scrap piece of information about her from over the years quickly flipping through his mental files as he searched for an answer. His memories of her smiles, her laughter and her constant defiance only made him more desperate. He slammed his fist against the barrier in despair, his heart, newly found, now sinking the further the barrier pushed him away from her.

"I will do anything," Sesshoumaru whispered somberly. "Anything for you. Simply say it and it shall be done. Just stay with me...please."

He felt her then, her tiny caress on his senses and her lily fragrance along the recycled air around him, but didn't feel her surrender. She knew of his wishes, of his feelings, and was touched but not touched enough for her to risk the lives of others.

"I'll..." Sesshoumaru began, his mind still flipping over pages and pages of information as he struggled to strengthen the link between them. "I'll build a house..."

Confusion.

He felt it, her mental _Huh_ at his blurted words, but he felt it and knew that he had her attention again.

"I will build it high in the cliffs above Winhill," he said and allowed his imagination to create a mental picture of his plans. "It will be a place buried deep inside the cliff face. There will be a massive garden with any manner of tree I can get my hands on. I'll even plant them if you want."

He smiled when she laughed. The sound was watery but alive and it gave him some hope. She laughed again at his mental picture of him knee deep in red earth, his claws and face caked with a thick layer of dirt with a hole and a young sapling waiting to be planted.

"You'll be able to look down on Winhill and the wildlife that you love so much. Your family could visit you and in a few years, after the world's forgotten Deling's madness, you'll be able to visit them too.

The barrier stilled, the insistent shoving paused as a single question floated toward him.

'Why?'

'Because,' Sesshoumaru began before he laid his soul bare to her. He kept nothing from her, taking her back to her first impression of him:

_You're a royal dick. Later Sesshoumaru_

To the first signs of the fire in her spirit, the same spirit that haunted him for years afterward:

_I don't need you Sesshoumaru! You'll see..I don't need you to save me. From now on, I'm going to save myself._

Her gratitude inside the Emergency Shelter and that first real tug at his cold heart:

_Thank you for looking after me. I know I've been a perfect pest but you stuck with me. I totally appreciate it so, you know, thanks._

To her hopeful inquiry to become his first real friend, unaware that she'd already become something much more precious to him:

_Do you promise? Promise that we'll stay friends no matter what?_

And her dying confession, her pained attempts at a goodbye, her sacrifice for his good and the sudden agony of the months spent without her scarred on his heart:

_If I could do everything over again, I'd tell you how I feel about you._ _I'd tell you that I think of you as more than just a friend, that I care about you more than words could ever say even when you piss me off. If I could do things over again I'd tell you that and you'd just have to deal with it._ _Just remember Sesshoumaru, this wasn't your fault. You did the best you could..._

_I will never, ever forget it..._

'I don't understand. Sesshoumaru, why are you showing me this?'

'You do too understand,' he smirked wryly as a mental picture of himself stood on her mental plain of existence. 'You are no where near as simple as you are pretending to be.'

'But that would mean that-' she stammered in confusion. 'But you can't-not me! Maybe someone else but-oh Sesshoumaru, I don't understand! Not with me!'

'I have not been perfect,' he admitted and fought the urge to frown at her shocked gasp at his confession. 'I have lied to myself and in turn pushed you away. You have every right to not believe me but I would gladly show you...for the rest of my life

'If you will allow it. Please Kagome, stand by my side. There is no one that could take your place.'

Sesshoumaru waited for her response, his forehead still pressed against the coolness of the purple wall and his breath held. He had not meant to tell her so much, but now that it was said he would not retract it. She belonged to him, with him, just as much as he belonged to her.

The collar around his neck told them so.

Sesshoumaru opened his mind to speak again when the barrier shattered, the sound of gently ringing bells fluttering around him as the purple wall crumbled and faded before him. He stood back, his impassive face belying the shock he felt as the remains of it drifted toward the darkness above him like snow. He watched it leave and quickly looked back at the gentle **ahhh** coming from the glass sphere. The front of the dome shifted out, then slowly swivelled upward. He darted forward when Kagome began to droop, her shoulders and head the first to sag forward before she fell. Sesshoumaru caught her easily and they both tumbled to the ice cold floor.

Sesshoumaru absorbed the brunt of the fall and wrapped his tail around her to protect her. He sat up with his legs crossed and situated Kagome until she rested in his lap, her head against his right shoulder and her legs bent over his left knee. He cradled her gently, burnished orbs set intently on her face as she struggled to the waking world.

"Sesshoumaru?" she called out as she blinked at the darkness around her.

"I am here."

She inhaled deeply, her eyes closed again as she grasped the clawed hand at her side. She squeezed and smiled when he squeezed back. "Did you mean what you said?" she asked before she gazed up at him. "Are you sure you want me?"

"I am," he nodded with a smirk. "Though I'm sure to wonder why in a few months."

"Hmnh!" she angrily huffed and gave his arm a weak swat. "You're such a charmer!"

_You know, not every female thinks you're the stuff..._

"But what about the others," Kagome asked worriedly, her fingers nervously twirling in her hair and her gaze anywhere but Sesshoumaru's intense gaze. "Won't the governments and Gardens get mad at you?"

"It would not matter if they were," he replied softly. "There is little they can do to one such as me."

Kagome glanced up, confused, and it was then she noticed the pin. "Oh no," she whispered brokenly, guilty tears rising in her eyes as she traced the simple piece that signified so much. "I'm so sorry Sesshoumaru," she wept then. "I've been so much trouble for you and now look. You've thrown everything you've wanted away."

"Nonsense." He purred soothingly as he wiped away her tears, waiting patiently for her to calm herself before brushing his thumb against her chin and gracing her with one of his rare smiles. "There is nothing to be sorry for. This was my choice and I have no regret." Kagome sat up, wrapped her arms around his neck, and brushed her nose against his neck

'Not a single one,' he said to himself as his grasp on her tightened. His hands grasped the hair that fell at her waist and he closed his eyes, his mind and aura content for the first time.

'Nor will I ever so long as I have you...'

(VI)

Two gunblades sat in the desert heat, their tips buried deep within the compacted earth of the cliffside and their handles pointed toward the heavens.

The sunlight beaming down on them reflected gaily off of the stirring blue of one gunblade while it soaked within the onyx of the other.

Two weapons, both as contradictory as the masters that wielded them; and yet they were joined together...forever...

With a flash of light...

A glimmer of hope...

And...

A cross of blades...

(End chapter)

SF: Yay! It's over! Somebody give this girl a beer!

Kagome: Eww, you drink beer!

SF :Um, no! Gross! I just want to toss it around.

Miroku: Weird girl! Oh well. No use wasting good brew. (Grabs a beer and sits on the couch)

Sango: Miroku, I don't think that's a good idea!

Inu-chan: Hey, I've got a question!

SF: Shoot-and it'd better be a good one! I'll fry you if it's something stupid.

(Sesshou moves further across the stage and sits down)

Inu-chan: Is it just me, or did Sesshoumaru fall in love with Kagome all of a sudden? I mean, that was real quick SF. You're gonna get flamed.

SF: No I won't. Let's go back to the first chapter, when she first saw you guys. Didn't you wonder why he let Kagome get away with that crack against him?

Sango: Yeah, that was weird.

SF: And when she and Souta were running from the T-rexaur; why in the world did he even care, no less go help her?

Kagome: She's got a point too.

SF: And the list goes on and on, to the bet he made with her when she became a Seed, and his concern for her after the massacre in Bika Snowfield during one of New Galbadia's first attacks. I could go on and on, but I won't. But you see my point, don't you Inu-chan.

Inu-chan: yeah, I get ya. (Grabs a beer and sits down)

SF: Well if that's it then this is it! Thanks so much to everyone who supported this fic and waited so patiently for it to finish. You guys were cool and your encouragement was just what I needed to finally finish this fic. Thanks to those who voted it BEST ALTERNATIVE FICTION 2006 on A Single Spark! You guys thought I forgot about that huh! Lol. Oh, and thanks to all the new people, the people who put this story on their favorite's list and to everyone who passed this story along to their friends. You guys are so cool!

Fin

Tuesday, July 11th 2006

4:52 am


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